


Sunflower Crown

by tsunderei



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angst, Getting Together, King Kageyama/Commoner Hinata, M/M, POV Alternating, References to loss of parents/past neglect, References to war/weapons, Royalty AU, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:35:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28793283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsunderei/pseuds/tsunderei
Summary: A King saves a simple commoner from his inevitable death. Unexpectedly, the commoner saves the King’s life in return.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Kageyama Tobio & Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 21
Kudos: 163





	Sunflower Crown

**Author's Note:**

> Royalty AUs and historical AUs sometimes belong together but I don’t have time to invest in the historical part, other than setting it in some kind of historical past. Therefore this country is Parallel Fantasy Japan or Medieval Haikyuu Quest Country, probably a hybrid of the two.
> 
> This is mainly a Hinata PoV feat. Kageyama PoV sometimes. I usually don’t like alternating PoVs in one fic but for the sake of the story this one had to have it.
> 
> Enjoy ♡

It was always the same dream.

All these years had passed and Kageyama never understood why he kept finding himself trapped in this repeating nightmare.

In his dream he saw an endless line of commoners kneeling before his throne. They begged of him this and that, their hands outstretched, their faces desperate, their voices broken – and he sat there looking down at them, tongue-tied and all-powerful.

Without fail he denied every single one of their wishes, even though he did not want to. He shook his head, pointed at the heavy doors, and just watched as they were hauled out of his castle, kicking and screaming.

In the end he burst into flames. The fire reached the domed roof, quickly turning into a mighty blaze, and he was unable to move. He only saw the sky open up above him, a starless, pitch-dark void, and his prayers ascended to the heavens.

**

Hinata was vaguely aware of the twigs clawing at his face, leaving small cuts and bruises, but he had no time to worry about them. He urged his horse to go faster, sending them tearing through the dense woods at breakneck speed, his breath high in his chest. He threw a panicked glance over his shoulder only to find that the wolves were still there, right on his heels. They were not shaken so easily and he knew that. He could hear them panting, their tongues trailing slivers of spit on the ground.

He spat a curse under his breath, his emotions torn between fear and desperation. There were so many of them and his horse was already pushing the limits of exhaustion. All of this just to hunt some pheasants. Deep down Hinata knew he should have taken the long road around the mountain instead. He knew this particular shortcut was treacherous but it was already too late to regret his choice. He also knew that one bow was nowhere near enough to serve as sufficient defense against vicious wolves, and on top of all misfortune he had also long since crossed over onto royal grounds, which made him both a trespasser and a poacher.

Hinata threw another look over his shoulder to gauge the distance between him and the pack – but he had not sooner done so when something solid hit him square across the chest. The impact was so hard it knocked the wind out of him, making him lose his balance and grip on the reins. Before he knew it the world flipped upside down as he flew off his horse. He was robbed of breath a second time when the back of his head hit the ground, and an explosion of lights went off in front of his eyes.

He groaned in agony, pain shooting through every part of his body, and he scrambled blindly in an effort to catch his bearings. It felt as though his chest had been smashed into a million pieces and to make matters worse his right shoulder was rendered useless, his grip on his bow now twisted and broken. His horse was already long gone, leaving only the low-hanging branch that had knocked him over. It swayed innocently, almost mockingly, above his head. He was such a fool. No one in their right mind rode at speeds like that without keeping their eyes on the road.

In desperation Hinata grabbed one of his arrows with his uninjured hand, holding it out from his body like a spear. He could only watch helplessly as the flock drew closer – and then, as if struck by a spell, one of the wolves fell to the ground. At first it seemed like it had tripped over its own feet but it continued to tumble around, once, twice, before remaining motionless on the path. The same fate befell another wolf. The beast crumbled in on itself, its legs giving way before crashing into the ground with a loud whelp of pain.

It all happened too fast for Hinata to realize what was actually unfolding in front of him. It was not until yet another wolf fell that a pattern began to emerge, painting a true picture of something that had seemed supernatural. Through the whirling dust he finally saw it: the arrow sticking out of the wolf’s throat and the blood gushing down its grey hide. The unknown arrow was much sturdier than his homemade ones, delicately crafted out of expensive wood and guided by shiny, pitch-black feathers.

Exhausted, Hinata collapsed onto his back and stared at the dizzying sky through the treetops, endless and peaceful above him. He could no longer hold on to consciousness, his senses gradually slipping into a state that was more painless than this. He heard quick footsteps running towards him and seconds later a blurry face briefly appeared in his view.

All he saw before fading into darkness was a pair of blue eyes.

**

Waking up felt like escaping a bad dream, at least until the ache in his body came back to remind him. Hinata blinked blearily up at the unfamiliar roof of an equally unfamiliar room. The sunlight fell in a slanted beam through the windows but he could not tell what time it was, or how long he had been unconscious. The blurry surroundings kept shifting in and out of focus, his head hurt like a thousand needles, and from somewhere nearby came hushed voices.

“I really think it is best to keep him here for a little while longer…”

“Is that necessary?” another voice replied, the tone gruff and annoyed. “This isn’t a common hostel, I do _not_ accommodate for strangers.”

“I’m aware,” the first voice said hurriedly, “but we can’t very well throw him out in this condition. I know you would never be so merciless.”

Hinata dared a quick glance across the room and caught sight of two young men with their heads close in conversation. One of them was fair, his hair a lingering gleaming silver, his all-black garments contrasting his soft aura. The other man was taller, with a broader build and hair dark as night. He wore what appeared to be a hunter’s outfit, complete with a long, green cloak and a leather quiver strapped around his chest.

Hinata tilted his head up a fraction, wanting to secretly study his features, but his movements stuttered when he realized the young man had already focused on him. Suddenly he was staring into the same brilliantly blue eyes he saw earlier, this time overshadowed by a deep frown. The moment only lasted a second before his gaze was released as quickly as it was captured. He turned his attention back to the silver-haired man and clicked his tongue, annoyed.

“Don’t make bold statements about what I would or would not do, Sugawara.” He tensely tightened one of the leather braces around his wrists and turned around to leave. “He was hunting on my grounds without permission anyway. I suppose he will have to stay until he’s strong enough to receive his penalty.”

Before Hinata drifted back to sleep he watched the tail of the green cloak vanish out the door, leaving him strangely relieved yet deeply unsettled.

**

It was the tempting smell of food that roused him the second time. He sniffed tentatively into the air a couple of times before he heard the clatter of cutlery. He opened his eyes and saw the silver-haired young man from earlier place a tray next to him.

“Oh, excellent, you’re awake!” he exclaimed with a bright smile. “You must be starving.”

He followed his words with a gesture at the tray, which offered a bowl of steaming soup, a piece of light bread, and a mug of water. As though on cue, Hinata’s stomach gave a loud growl in agreement.

“Thought so,” the man grinned and helped him sit up properly. “There is plenty more where this came from so let me know if you want a second helping.”

Hinata did not have to be asked twice and dug in without hesitation. The soup was unlike any soup he had tasted before, made from fresh vegetables and tender chicken, with a rich and perfectly seasoned broth. The bread yielded softly, melting on his tongue, and it had a thick spread of creamy butter. It made him wonder what kind of establishment could possibly afford luxuries like these. It had to be a really wealthy farm; even the cutlery was made of silver.

“I’m Sugawara,” the young man said fondly. “I am the advisor and, well, the general supervisor of this place. What is your name?”

“I’m Hinata Shouyou! But just Hinata is fine!” Hinata replied unceremoniously through a big mouthful of bread. “What… happened to me, if I may ask? I remember a pack of wolves chasing me before I fell off my horse…”

“That is indeed what happened. You suffered a concussion and a dislocated shoulder but fortunately no worse than that. You have been passed out since yesterday.”

“Since yesterday…? It was that severe?”

“You were lucky Kageyama and his hunting party rode by at the time they did,” Sugawara replied with a solemn nod. “You really owe all your gratitude to him, as he truly saved your life.”

Hinata paused, his spoon coming to a hovering stop in front of his mouth. Something about the mentioned name tugged at his memory.

“Kageyama…?” he repeated, his thoughts slowly coming together, and a realization formed around all the fragments he had been presented so far – the royal grounds, the expensive arrows and cutlery, the well-prepared food. “What do you mean?”

Sugawara responded with a knowing smile. “Well, what does the Kageyama name mean to _you_?”

The silver spoon slipped out of Hinata’s hand and fell with a clatter into the half-empty soup bowl. Only one person was allowed to claim the name of Kageyama in all of Karasuno – and that person was not an ordinary commoner, or even an ordinary noble, for that matter.

“I… I’m not in the King’s castle right now – am I?” he asked meekly, although he already knew the answer to his own inquiry.

“That is the very place, yes.”

“So… so the one who saved me… was the King?”

Sugawara nodded, seemingly amused by the slow revelation unfolding in front of him.

Hinata took a deep trembling breath, in disbelief of the hospitality he was so shamelessly taking advantage of. The feeling of unworthiness was overwhelming and he struggled against his desire to leave immediately. His entire life he had spent living on the outskirts of Karasuno, a kingdom so vast that only a handful of people had seen all of it. He had heard the news when Kageyama was crowned and he knew he was young, the youngest to rule in several hundred years, but he had only ever known their ruler by name, never by appearance. His mind would not stop staggering around the fact that the man in the hunter’s outfit was actually King Kageyama.

“Forgive me but I didn’t know… I mean, I caught a glimpse of him but he didn’t exactly look like a…um – like a –”

“…like a king?” Sugawara helpfully filled in for him, laughing at Hinata’s embarrassed nod. “No, most of the time he doesn’t. Kageyama prefers spending his time hunting or practicing archery. He certainly is nothing like the rulers before him. Although hopefully he will not be taking on a wolf pack like that ever again…”

“I – I am so sorry for putting the King in danger,” Hinata stuttered, his face turning bright red. “I never meant to be a burden or – or to go hunting on royal grounds, I –”

“It is already in the past.” Sugawara reached out and patted his arm. “No harm befell either of you and that is what’s most important. You really are welcome to stay here until you’ve fully recovered. Do you have any family expecting your return?”

“Just my mother and my little sister… They must be so worried about me.”

“Then I’ll send a messenger with news of your well-being. And I’ll make sure to include some food as well, to tide them over while you’re gone.”

“No, please, that’s far too kind,” Hinata protested vehemently. “I couldn’t possibly –”

“Don’t worry yourself,” Sugawara assured him warmly. “Just focus on healing.”

**

Hinata’s concussion turned out to be of the stubborn kind. It lingered for a few long days, chaining him to the bed most of the time, before it finally allowed him to get up without sending the world spinning.

The room he occupied was simple and did not betray much in the way of riches or luxury. The roof was airy, supported by heavy beams, and save for the occasional tapestry the walls were mostly bare. The floor was covered with mats of sturdy, hand-woven quality, perhaps the most pristine carpet he’d ever had the privilege to set foot on. It was clearly a guest room of sorts, though not often in use.

A look out the window confirmed that his room was probably on the fifth, possibly sixth floor. The castle itself was painted brilliantly white, with black-tiled and artistically crafted roofs jutting out at different levels. He could see the courtyard below, framed by protective stonewalls and a tall gate. The space itself was wide-open, set in immaculate burgundy tiles, and a nearby cherry tree cast a mosaic of shadows across the square.

A set of voices suddenly came drifting up to his window and Hinata retreated further behind the curtains. Seconds later King Kageyama stepped into view, holding the reins of a white, magnificent stallion. Following him were two other young men, both of them dressed in hunter’s outfits like their leader. The taller of the two carried himself with a certain urgency, his gaze sharp and alert, while the other seemed more relaxed, an almost bored expression on his face.

“You have to make your approach faster!” Kageyama snapped, singling out the tallest one. “You’re responsible for driving the animal towards me, so why would you let it get too far ahead of you?”

“I –”

“Does it feel like your first time whenever we go hunting? Are you scared?”

“No, but –”

“That stag has probably crossed over to Aoba Johsai by now, we’ll never see it here again. Damnit!”

“But Kageyama –”

He made several attempts but the young man did not get a single word of his explanation through. Every time he tried he was shot down with a curt wave of the King’s hand.

“I will hear nothing else from you, Kindaichi,” Kageyama replied sourly. He thrust the reins of his horse into the man’s hands and glared. “Unsaddle Kaiser for me.”

He promptly turned on his heel and Hinata instinctively shrank back, despite his cover. They watched him storm away, his cloak disappearing out of view with an almost angry flutter. The silence left in his wake was poignant and shameful, as though he had scolded them for something far worse than lost game.

“You unsaddle the horse, Kunimi,” Kindaichi muttered with a frustrated sigh and gave the reigns to his friend. “Kaiser hates me.”

“Kaiser hates both of us.”

“Then he’s got that in common with his owner.”

“Kageyama isn’t that bad…” Kunimi said, although the hesitation in his voice was obvious.

“If he was willing to listen he would know my horse is older than the rest,” Kindaichi complained. “But somehow I doubt it matters.”

“He’s royalty.”

“It’s not an excuse for his arrogance.”

The young King’s reputation as someone temperamental and harsh had definitely preceded him but Hinata never paid attention to those particular rumors. Commoners on the outskirts of Karasuno mostly caught news by word of mouth, and by the time it reached them the word could have changed even five or six times. Rumors were flimsy and easy to manipulate. Besides, Hinata believed someone crowned at the tender age of eighteen would be insecure and afraid no matter what, that much was only natural, and perhaps this was the way his fears manifested now, years after his coronation.

“Those three are childhood friends, believe it or not. Kindaichi and Kunimi are both sons of the court.”

The remark came from right behind him, detached and unexpected. Hinata quickly whirled around and saw Sugawara smiling back at him.

“I knocked but there was no answer,” he explained and placed a steaming mug in his hands. “I came to deliver your daily remedy.”

“Oh, thank you!” Hinata blushed, slightly embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping. “I was just… uh, daydreaming, I’m sorry.”

“How do you feel?”

“Much better!” He sipped carefully at the herbal concoction, grimacing at the strong aftertaste. “It’s all thanks you and your kind treatment.”

“Well, your arm should rest, still,” Sugawara said thoughtfully. “And a concussion is serious, you should take a little more time. But I encourage you to walk around more. You must be longing to get out of this room, surely.”

“Really?” Hinata perked up, the boredom in his bones finally easing its grip. “I’m allowed?”

“Of course you are,” Sugawara smiled. “Besides, I think there is a special someone waiting for you at the stables.”

“You mean…” Hinata blinked at him in slow realization. “You have my Himawari…?”

He had given a lot of thought to his trusty mare recently, worrying about her well-being and wondering where she had taken off to. He had hoped at the very least that she managed to escape the wolves and found refuge somewhere else. That she had been miraculously recovered was even more than he could have asked for.

“One of our rangers found her wandering in the fields,” Sugawara said. “She is unharmed.”

He bid him farewell with a promise to bring him supper later and left, sliding the door shut behind him.

Eager to be reunited with his dear horse, Hinata downed the rest of his medicine in one gulp, eased carefully into his coat, and pulled on his boots. He expected to run into someone the moment he slipped out of his room, perhaps a guard or a servant that might give him directions, but no matter how many corners he turned he found the hallways deserted. He stopped for a second to think, confused and somewhat regretful that he did not walk with Sugawara, but surely it could not be that complicated. Somewhere there had to be a door that would eventually lead him to freedom.

Hinata dared a curious peek into every open room he passed. Most likely it was an act of transgression for a commoner to do so, let alone occupy a room in a castle, but he had a concussion after all. Besides, growing up a simple peasant’s son had never given him a reason to learn anything about royal etiquette. If he was caught lurking he would make that his excuse.

So far he had only seen a small part of it but the castle was clearly spacious, seemingly endless. Everywhere he looked the interior remained bright and airy. The rooms on his floor were mostly cabinets and guest rooms like his, all of them immaculately kept, and – maybe most strikingly – completely quiet and empty. Most contained ornate furniture and old traditional artwork, and the walls were covered in paintings and scrolls.

Hinata moved lightly downstairs, running his hand along the polished bannister without catching any traces of dust. It was as if no one lived in this castle at all. It was just sat here, maintained yet empty, a bright yet gloomy place. As comfortable as living a life like this would be, it certainly did not present itself as very happy.

He continued along the hallway, fascinated by the floor, which was made out of wood instead of the usual stone or clay. The boards were completely unblemished and barely made a sound under his weight – then he turned the next corner and his expedition came to an abrupt halt.

The shape he bumped into was so solid Hinata literally bounced off from the impact. He stumbled, fumbling for something to hold on to and just barely managed to catch himself from falling over. He exhaled in relief, glad that his arm or his head were not inflicted more unnecessary damage.

“What the hell are you up to?”

The harsh question startled him. It reached him in a commanding bark and he felt the blood drain from his face when he looked up and realized his mistake. The King himself was glaring down at him, towering over him in all his imposing height. His mouth was stretched into a displeased line, his blue eyes a thunderous storm beneath his raven hair. The hallway might just as well have shrunk in that moment.

Hinata suddenly remembered, somewhere in the back of his panic-stricken mind, that the rumors about the King also claimed that his mother had been a demon. He had inherited grace and beauty from her but because he was born a half demon he had to sacrifice his human empathy, which resulted in a terrible, unstable temper. Or so it had happened according to the legend.

Hinata had never been superstitious about such things. In his opinion it was much more practical to think logically about what could be explained and not pay much heed to what could not, but right now he was inclined to believe those outrageous rumors a little. Had he not been so terrified he would have indeed thought the young ruler to be very handsome, but it was hard to appreciate it when it felt as though he was about to be exiled from the kingdom.

He therefore did the only thing that came to mind. Instantly, he fell to his knees and bowed deeply, his forehead touching the floor.

“Please forgive me, my Lord,” he rambled frantically. “I was just looking for the stables, I swear, I did not mean anything by walking around, I was not prying, your Highness, that really is the truth.”

There was a long stretch of terrible silence where Hinata remained on the floor, the tip of his nose pressed into the polished wood. Then fell another command.

“Get up.”

Hinata frowned to himself, confused, but he did as he was told and scrambled to his feet as quickly as his recovering body would allow him. King Kageyama’s eyes narrowed into slits, before he took a step forward, making Hinata lean away instinctively.

“Do _not_ grovel before me,” he said, teeth gritted. “As long you’re under my roof you will not address me as your Lord, or your Majesty, or your Highness, and never ever as your _King_.” He almost spat the last word out and Hinata flinched. “I am Kageyama to you. You will respect me on that name only, no honorifics. Do you understand?”

Hinata nodded vehemently but remained thoroughly bewildered. Because what ruler on earth would not want his subjects to acknowledge him as their King? It seemed he was given some precious advice but instead it came out as a threat on his life. Even if the rumors were untrue this man definitely lived up to them.

Something unreadable danced across Kageyama’s expression, his features softening just a fraction, but the change disappeared before Hinata could decide if it was imagined or not.

“Go the other way,” he muttered at last.

“Um… Pardon…?”

“To get to the stables you have to turn right at the other end of this hallway. You will encounter a gate that leads to the courtyard.”

“Oh… I see!” Hinata beamed up at him. “Thank you, my Lo– I mean, Kageyama!”

Kageyama looked taken aback for a split-second, like he did not expect a response that bright. His face quickly tightened into another scowl.

“I’m expecting you to be out of this castle as soon as humanly possible, so refrain from doing anything stupid or reckless. I have no intensions of housing you forever.”

With that he brushed past Hinata and stomped out of sight, leaving him mildly frightened and frankly somewhat offended.

He waited, in case the King changed his mind and for some reason chose to come back, but after a while he slowly edged towards the direction he was pointed. Another tentative turn to the right proved the instructions to be correct. Relieved, Hinata exited the gate and ran out of the castle.

The royal stables were a long structure located at the other end of the courtyard. It had been built with tall windows and a domed roof, making it just as bright and spacious as the main castle. The floor was laid in pale brick and swept entirely clean of straw and gravel. Every stall was gated by wrought iron and marked by heavy marble columns, each of them carrying a lantern on top. Hinata hurried down the hall, amused by the thought of his horse lodged in such a luxurious place, just like its owner.

“Pardon, but who are you?”

Hinata stumbled in his steps. He briefly clutched his heart, convinced it could not possibly bode well to be startled twice in such a short time. He spun around and saw a tall, broad figure step out of one of the stalls. The weak afternoon sun shone through the open gates and struck the person’s back, obscuring most of their features in shadows, but the outline of the tool they held was unmistakably of a pitchfork.

“Oh… Um, I was just…” Hinata stuttered, intimidated. “M-my horse was found by a ranger –”

The person stepped properly into the light, revealing a scruffy beard and long hair braided into a bun. Then the dark frown slowly broke into a warm smile, removing several years from the man’s face in the process, and Hinata realized he was actually much younger than he had first seemed.

“You’re the one who owns the flaxen chestnut? A very handsome mare?”

“Uh – yes…! That would be me.”

“You’re scaring him, Asahi.”

Sugawara’s lightly scolding voice joined them. He entered the stables leading a proud dapple-grey horse and Hinata exhaled at the sight of someone familiar.

“You look like a giant standing here together with all these equally giant horses, show more care.”

“No, it’s fine!” Hinata said quickly. “I’m just glad my horse is alright!”

“She’s right over here.” Asahi gestured in direction of a box further down the hall. “I’m sure she must have missed you.”

It was safe to say that Hinata’s horse was nothing like the other royal thoroughbreds. Her build was smaller and stockier in comparison, with a straighter neck and a rougher coat, but she was fast and loyal and always very, very happy to see him. The mare tossed her head a couple of times and whinnied excitedly, nudging her soft mule against his cheek.

“How did you find the stables, Hinata?” Sugawara asked. “I forgot to tell you how confusing the castle is but you had already left by the time I went back to your room.”

“Oh, right…” Hinata moved to hide his embarrassment in the shadow of Himawari’s head. “I… I ran into his Lo– into Kageyama. He, uh, he showed me the way here.”

“Did he?” Sugawara repeated, surprised.

“Well, actually… I might have annoyed him. I didn’t want to come across as rude or suspicious so I apologized to him the way I would expect someone to apologize in front of royalty.”

“What did you do…?”

“I just knelt in front of him and called him my Lord,” Hinata replied with a defensive pout. “But he got mad.”

“Ah…” An amused twinkle appeared in Sugawara’s eye. “He insisted that you never refer to him as anything but Kageyama, correct?”

“Yes but why, though? Why would he not want his subjects to address him as royalty? It garners much more respect that way.”

“Well… Karasuno has always been a kingdom greatly subjected to its kings and their choice of rule. When Kageyama was handed the crown he was also handed a kingdom in near ruins. You are old enough to remember how it used to be.”

Hinata agreed with a slow nod. He did indeed remember how it was living under the former king, Kageyama’s father. There was poverty and the people suffered, especially poor peasants like Hinata’s family. At the time they lived from hand to mouth, laboring every day for a landlord who hoarded what they farmed, and in the end his father was drafted to fight in the war, a war he did not survive. To have yet another Kageyama serve as their new regent predicted more of the same miserable rule – but slowly and steadily things changed for the better. The power of the landlords was restricted and as the new head of the family, Hinata became the rightful owner of the farm, including the small patch of surrounding land. He went from being a simple peasant to becoming a landowner, and while it was not much he faced his adolescence in peacetime. He was no longer at risk of being drafted in a new war, and his family did not have to live in fear of being forced away for work. The new Kageyama was a king who treated his people fairly. It made no sense for him to not take proper credit for his good deeds.

“It takes a tough heart to pull a kingdom out of misery and into prosperity,” Sugawara continued, his voice slightly tainted by sadness. “It is easier to tear something down than to build something up, because the latter asks so much more of you. Kageyama has always wanted to be close to his people but he has also had to make unpopular decisions, resulting in a fear of what everyone might think of him. He is well aware of the way they talk, and perhaps he has accepted it as a shield. Perhaps he was too young for all of this.”

He sighed heavily, absently patting his horse’s neck. All of a sudden Sugawara, too, seemed far too young to carry all of this responsibility. He could not be much older than Kageyama and yet he was the King’s advisor. That was a title bestowed upon him rather than earned, Hinata knew that much. There was no one closer to the throne than him, save for the King himself. Should Kageyama’s bloodline end without an heir to show for it then Sugawara would be next in line for the throne.

“Kageyama has worked hard to be different from the former kings but most people still see him like that. I suppose it’s hard to shake a reputation, especially one you inherit. People will always judge you no matter what, and in turn you become what you fear the most. It’s something you must live with.”

“I don’t want to cross him, should I run into him again…”

“Keep the honorifics to yourself and you will be fine,” Sugawara laughed. “Only the council calls him their Lord because that is the compromise they were able to agree on. But the council is nothing but traditionalist diplomats set in their old ways. You, Hinata, are nothing of the sort.”

“No…” Hinata squirmed, unsure of what to think. “But I’m a commoner.”

“And who says the common man cannot talk back to the King?” Sugawara challenged. “There is no rule that states this. Kageyama may be intimidating but he hates it when people back down easily. Sometimes talking back is the only way to make him listen.”

**

This gazebo would always remain Kageyama’s favorite place. It was angled discreetly among the trees, allowing the perfect amount of shadow and sunlight, and it overlooked one of the many ponds in his garden.

One time, when he was five or six, he almost drowned in that very pond.

He had been walking the garden with his father when at one point he stumbled and fell into the water. It was not very deep but he had not yet learned how to swim and quickly went under. The harder he kicked, the tighter the spindly weeds wrapped around his ankles, dragging him further and further down. Kageyama remembered seeing his father through the hazy water, standing above the surface just staring at him, hands behind his back. In the end it was the King’s then advisor who rushed to and pulled him back out with only seconds to spare.

Kageyama never believed his father would have killed him with his own hands – but by lucky accident, however? He was certain he would not mourn him. He saw his son more as competition than an ideal heir to the throne. Most of all he saw him as a child who took too much after his mother, both in looks and demeanor, and she had been a woman with enough wits about her to run away. When he was younger Kageyama had stayed awake on many long nights praying that she would come back and take him with her too, like she had done with his older sister. But she never did. She never came back for him.

He watched a couple of dragonflies skim the surface, their slim bodies glittering in the sun, the water lilies slowly swaying in the weak breeze. Everything felt so harmonious like this – the complete opposite of the emotions taking root in his chest. Spring had only just begun but somehow it felt like it was changing already. His life always felt like changing seasons.

Kageyama looked down at his folded hands, finding an odd fascination in how cold they were. Since the day he was crowned he had sat through numerous meetings with the Spokesman of the people. He was getting used to hearing about their requests and expectations and worries, but these days he only dreaded these meetings. He tried giving his best advice, he tried being considerate and thoughtful, he tried to meet compromises wherever possible – and yet he helplessly sensed a growing resentment pressing against the castle walls. Imagined or not, it made him feel like a fraud.

Maybe the people, his own court included, only saw the former king in him, despite Kageyama looking the spitting image of his mother. The sons of his generation inherited their fathers’ old resentment. Kageyama blamed his predecessors for ruining his reputation before his reign even began. They were dead and buried a long time ago but even now they came back to haunt him from their graves. It would have been better to rule everything by himself, all alone. If he could do everything alone he was certain he would not have to feel the paranoia slowly overtake him. It was far too early to be crowned at barely eighteen. He felt immature back then but he was completely lost now, seven years later.

Stepping outside of Karasuno meant he would have to face a world that only kept going, on and on and on, maybe for all eternity. It gripped him with so much anxiety, knowing that. If he could not even have faith in his own world, if he could not control this, then the walls of the wider world might cave in and devour him.

Kageyama closed his eyes and turned away from the pond, feeling the gentle breeze sift through his hair. If only he could sit here forever, in this shadowy gazebo, together with the dragonflies and the frogs and the birds, listening to the rhythmic tap of the bamboo fountain. If only he could forget about his castle and his people and his responsibilities once and for all, if he removed himself from everyone and everything – perhaps then could he truly be happy.

But he was never meant to turn his back on Karasuno. He was meant to stay here, in this world that was entirely his. If he had to sacrifice his own happiness in the process then so be it.

**

The royal garden was easily one of the most beautiful places in the whole world; Hinata was convinced of this. It covered several acres of ground, reaching so far into the horizon it seemed to fade into a blur of different colors, and it was immaculately maintained like the rest of the castle. There were several ponds, some of them filled with koi fish, others connected by small bridges or flat stone paths. In some places the low-hanging branches dipped into the quiet water, and the flower displays were lush and abundant, offering everything from roses to orchids to other species Hinata could not even name. It was impossible to cover everything in just one evening.

He made his way around one of the largest ponds, following a path that led to a gazebo. It was only one of the many he had already passed so far, but this one was simpler and more secluded than the others. He had almost reached it when he realized someone was already sitting there. His footsteps froze, his body instinctively urging him to turn back around – but then he saw that the person was Kageyama. It was the last person Hinata wanted to meet, as he did not want to run into him twice in the same day. He stood there for a long moment, paralyzed in a ridiculous pose that suggested he had been caught red-handed walking somewhere he should not have. He was fully aware that he was in plain view and that he undoubtedly had been spotted already, but even after some time had passed there was no reaction or movement from the young King. Finally, he realized he was not ignoring him but that he had simply nodded off.

Hinata stood watching him for a little while. Kageyama had changed out of his hunter’s gear and into more casual garments. The dark blue silk was tailor-made and fit him snugly, the golden patterns intricate yet subdued, and the small clasp at his neck was nothing but a modest emerald. The weak breeze gently fanned pale pink blossoms into his hair, accompanied by faint birdsong and the soothing hollow taps of a nearby bamboo fountain. He looked so peaceful like this, more like a carefree prince than an ill-tempered king, and Hinata found it very hard to look away, his heart seizing for an inexplicable second.

He did not wish to disturb him and began backing away down the path, until Kageyama suddenly stirred. His face contracted, a frown digging itself into his features, his lip quivering slightly. He muttered something unintelligible under his breath, something that was caught by the wind and drifted away, before he inhaled shakily. Hinata stared in confusion as a tear escaped the corner of his eye and slowly rolled down his cheek. Kageyama was actually crying in his sleep.

Instead of leaving him alone like he should, Hinata took a step closer and entered the shadows of the gazebo. He moved his gaze away from the King’s pained expression and down to his hands, which were resting in his lap, palms open and facing upwards as though in prayer. His hands were large but delicate, the skin unblemished save for his calloused palms and the hardened patches on the inside of his fingers. He was said to be one of the greatest archers in the kingdom and his hands proved it. Many years of practice lay in those hands.

Lost in wide-eyed fascination, Hinata forgot to pay attention to where he stepped. His boot caught on an uneven floorboard and before he knew it he was waving his arms for balance. In the next moment he fell to the ground, releasing a grunt of pain as he landed on his tender shoulder.

“Oi. What are you doing?”

Hinata rolled over with an agonized groan and looked up. Kageyama hovered above him with a glare that seemed both annoyed and bewildered, as though Hinata had fallen from the heavens and landed in front of him, only to cause great inconvenience. He huffed a nervous laugh and struggled to get back on his feet.

“I was just – I was just exploring. You have a lovely garden, my Lor– uh, Kageyama.”

Kageyama stared, all traces of tears now gone. Perhaps Hinata had imagined the whole thing.

“It’s only missing sunflowers!” he continued, grasping desperately to escape the awkward silence.

“Sunflowers…?”

“Yes! I haven’t seen any sunflowers growing anywhere, at least not so far. In my humble opinion they really light up a flowerbed. I have many sunflowers back home at my farm although it’s nothing but a small patch compared to all of this splendor.”

A flicker of what resembled amazement came to life in Kageyama’s expression before it quickly gave way to smoldering disapproval, and Hinata could tell he had said the wrong thing.

“I suppose your concussion must be gone,” the King snapped, “for you to be having such brilliant ideas on how to improve my own _personal_ garden. Perhaps you’re well enough to leave after all, instead of leeching off my hospitality.”

With a last glare he marched out of the gazebo, leaving Hinata alone and once again slightly offended.

What was it that Sugawara had said about standing his ground? He never even had the chance to organize his thoughts and his words before he was shot down. Kageyama was young and handsome, he had impressive skills and good leadership abilities, and he was yet to be married, making him an attractive bachelor – he could actually be rather popular if only he did not come off so rude. Hinata dropped onto the bench with a huff and crossed his arms. He still thought his sunflower idea was good. There was no need to snap at him like that.

Then again, Kageyama had been crying just now. Maybe it was a case of bad mood… but how bad did a person’s mood have to be in order for them to cry in their sleep?

Hinata remained in the gazebo for some time, watching the still pond and the dragonflies buzzing above the surface. For some reason the sight gave him chills, as though the silence was eerie and unwelcoming. It was impossible to perceive what else was lurking behind all that striking beauty. Feeling slightly shaken, he stood and decided to walk back to the castle.

He was lost in daydreams of a nice supper when he came across an ornate vase he had not encountered before. He looked around, realized that the rest of his surroundings were also largely unfamiliar, and it became clear to him that he had ended up on the wrong floor. A quick look around the next corner confirmed that this was definitely not the way to his room. Once again he was lost.

“What is this damned place,” he muttered to himself, hurrying back in the direction he came from. “Is it a castle or a maze?”

With a curse he headed down a different hallway, turned a couple of unknown corners, and slowed down when he finally heard muffled voices. They came from behind a closed sliding door and Hinata first believed them to be servants, someone he could ask for help. He halted in his steps when he recognized Kageyama’s voice among them.

He was unsure of what to do next. He was not looking to eavesdrop, especially not on royalty. He could be accidentally listening in on kingdom secrets that were none of his concern and then he would really be exiled. Still, he found himself unable to move away. Instead he tiptoed over to the door and pressed his ear against the wood.

“There is not much to discuss, in my opinion,” Kageyama said. “It seems to me like no one has broken the law.”

“Really, my Lord?” someone else replied, the voice belonging to an older man. “Surely, you would be able to suggest some form of punishment?”

Hinata frowned at the mention of the word. The situation sounded serious and his curiosity immediately peaked beyond the guilt. Ever so carefully he nudged at the sliding door, leaving barely a few millimeters open, and peered into the room beyond.

It was a wide, bright room that Hinata had not yet seen. In the middle stood a long table surrounded by several empty chairs. Kageyama sat on one end, still dressed in his blue garments. He rested his chin in his palm, looking out across the room with an expression that could betray anyone as bored or uninterested, except there was a gleam in his eyes, something that said he was paying very close attention. Sugawara stood next to him, half a step behind his shoulder, and in front of them, at the other end of the table, sat an unfamiliar man. He held a paper scroll in his hands, unrolled to show a densely inked paragraph that Hinata could not read.

“Punishment?” Kageyama repeated sharply.

“Yes. Their conduct is not right. There should be consequences.”

“For what? You really believe there should be consequences for a farmer’s adult daughter and her innocent fling?”

“He is a farmer of considerable status, my Lord,” the man with the scroll argued. “It was careless of his daughter to do such a thing, indeed it was careless behavior of two unmarried people. There will be rumors. It is a burden for his family, to have people talk.”

“So is that the real reason, then?” Kageyama countered. “This is a problem because it burdens the _family_?”

The man leaned back slightly, faltering. “Well, I – I am certain he is simply concerned about his offspring.”

“If he cares about his daughter so deeply then he would loosen his grip on her. This issue is of no importance to me and should be settled in the privacy of their home.” Kageyama’s eyes darkened. “If he continues to drag trivial matters like this before the king she will end up resenting him and he will lose her for good.”

There was a moment of silence so heavy even Hinata held his breath, lest he should be discovered.

“I have no further say in this. Frankly, it’s annoying to have this go through _me_ first. This is a minor problem in a big kingdom with other priorities.”

Sugawara reached out to rest a calming hand on Kageyama’s arm, silently discouraging him from escalating. At the other end of the room the man crumbled in on himself a little, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“Tell him and his family to reflect on it. Like you said he is a farmer of considerable status; the fact that his daughter has grown up should not be a problem for him. As for his gossiping neighbors I suggest confronting them instead of me, as I couldn’t possibly care less. Never bring up this matter with me again.” Kageyama dismissively waved his hand. “If that was all for today then please leave. Thank you, Spokesman.”

Said spokesman responded with a nod and backed out of the room through a door at the other end, bowing as he went. As soon as he was out of sight Kageyama cracked a wide yawn, giving his arms and back a good stretch.

“See, these meetings are not always so bad,” Sugawara told him with a tentative smile. “But do try not to shoot the messenger so devastatingly next time.”

“He lets his own opinions bleed into other people’s issues far too easily,” Kageyama remarked, annoyed. “He’s a spokesperson and nothing more. He should act like it.”

“Either way, you’ve made reasonable decisions today, Kageyama.”

“Making decisions is easy when no one has broken the law and I don’t have to call upon the Chancellor. Easy decisions are a waste of my time.” He dragged a hand over his face, exhausted. “But I’m thankful for it.”

Sugawara looked at him with sympathy and sat next to him. “I know you are. It’s hard controlling a kingdom alone and having a say in every matter imaginable, big or small. But you are doing well.”

“I think they all hate me.”

“No, they don’t. No one is suffering under your rule so why should they hate you? You just have to be firm sometimes, as is the custom. As long as your decisions are fair then it’s fine.”

“Sometimes I wonder…” Kageyama bit down on his lip, a trace of hurt in the way he paused so suddenly, as though choking up. “I wonder if they can notice, after all.”

“Kageyama…” Sugawara leaned forward and carefully squeezed his arm, his expression revealing that they had wrestled this conversation many times before. “What was said about your mother is not true. She was not a demon. She was just –”

“I know.” Kageyama interrupted him with a sigh and quickly rubbed at his eyes. “I know that’s not the truth. She was unwell and mistreated and she wanted to escape. I know all that. But… she only brought Miwa with her. She could have taken me, too.”

“I think she respected the throne too much for that,” his advisor quietly replied. “She left you behind, not because she did not love you but because she knew you would make a good king someday, a different king. She did it because she knew you are not your father,” he added intently. “I’m sorry you feel this way but we can only ask that you do your best, and you already are.”

“I know,” Kageyama repeated, almost sullenly. “You’re right, as usual.”

“Yes, I am,” Sugawara smiled. “Now come, let’s have supper.”

The men stood and Hinata quickly retreated from the door when he realized they were headed in his direction. As soundlessly as he could he hurried out of sight and hid behind a corner until their voices faded away.

What he just witnessed had to be a regular meeting, where a spokesman would convey various matters on behalf of the people. From what he could gather it also worked as a smaller court, with Kageyama deciding whether or not the matter should be brought before a judge. If that was the case then there was no wonder he cried in his sleep.

Hinata had to admit he did not know much about a king’s duties. It was impossible for him to imagine the burden that was constantly being piled onto Kageyama’s young shoulders and he felt bad for even listening to the rumors about him in the first place. Hinata would never know what it was like to be in his position and he was thankful for it. He could walk away where Kageyama had no choice but to stay. It was deeply unfair to judge such a person on his reputation alone.

**

From his window, Hinata could see the castle town in the close distance. The little colored roofs and bright walls stood out against the surrounding green mountains, and every now and then he caught glimpses of tiny carriages traveling to and fro. It was only some minutes away on horseback, down a well-traveled path that crossed the wide field before entering a small patch of forest.

Nearly a fortnight had passed. Castle life, as comfortable as it was for a commoner, was mostly boring, often leaving him with nothing to do. It was a constant reminder of how much of an outcast he was by simply staying here. He was misplaced, a disruptive object in a world he was not supposed to know. He had to get out, even if it was only for a little while. He deemed his shoulder well enough for riding and with Asahi’s help he made his horse ready soon after breakfast.

The castle town was a lively but also completely unknown place. Streets of cobblestone snaked their way between white brick houses and colorful flower decorations stood on almost every corner. In the center was a bustling marketplace abundant with everything from fruits and vegetables to seafood and livestock, enough to supply both castle and town. Just the marketplace alone was proof of a prosperous kingdom, so much that it was hard to believe it had ever been through a devastating war. None of this would ever have been possible under the leadership of a cruel king.

He tied Himawari up outside the nearest inn and quietly slipped into a seat at the corner of the bar, not ordering anything as he had no money on him. He observed the people for a little while, tried to see how different the townsfolk were from the countryside peasants, how they talked and behaved. He discovered that watching them was a pleasant pastime. People seemed familiar with each other, busy with their daily lives but easy-going in their demeanor, most of them interacting without any obvious altercations. Hinata did not pay much attention to their actual conversations, not until the unexpected mention of Kageyama’s name drew his attention back to the bar.

“Oi, Tanaka! Rumor has it Kageyama made you lower the price of your apples?”

The men at the bar roared with laughter and the patron next to him, a young man with close-cropped hair and a somewhat intimidating look, grumbled irritably into his cider.

“Outrageous, I tell you! My family’s got some of the best apples around and he wants us to sell them for half their worth! You’d think he was waiting for us to go out of business.”

“I heard the prices are sky high over in Shiratorizawa, though,” another man said, whose hair was parted neatly above heavy-lidded eyes. “One of my nieces went there on a visit recently and she said she could hardly afford anything at their market. Kageyama is just doing what he was born to do.”

“He’s nothing but a brat, Ennoshita. Of course it’s easy for him to decide how much an apple is worth. And we deliver to the castle, too, plenty of crates! He knows how tasty they are!” Tanaka pulled a face, glaring. “Must be nice being royalty.”

“But at least more people can afford your apples now.”

The men at the bar fell silent and slowly turned to face Hinata, who only just realized he had spoken, not only out loud but also out of turn, boldly addressing a bunch of strangers.

“The hell did you say?”

“Ah–! Forgive me!” Hinata stammered nervously. “I just – I mean, my point is, the more affordable apples, the more people will buy them. If not enough people buy your apples then chances are the harvest will go bad, but you’ll avoid that if your apples are in high demand. So, there will be more apple jam, more apple pie, and, oh – more apple cider!” he added and gestured at the man’s glass. “And, seeing as your apples are the best in the kingdom, more people will hear about them and get the chance to brag about them. If you add up many small sums you’ll eventually end up with a big one – correct?”

Tanaka squinted suspiciously at him before his pursed lips widened into a smile.

“People bragging about my apples, huh?” he repeated, pleased. “Where are you from? I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Oh, I live on the other side of the mountain. My name is Hinata! I’m just, um… here on an errand! It’s nothing important.”

Tanaka tapped his chin thoughtfully. “So you think the King actually made a good decision about my apples, then?”

“Yes, I do think that!” Hinata nodded eagerly. “Even if it’s a hassle to begin with you’ll surely reap the results in the long run.”

“Kageyama makes unpopular decisions,” the one with the heavy eyelids, Ennoshita, chimed in. “That’s the main problem for many people. They want results now, not a year later.”

“But an unpopular decision can still be fair and profitable? Other kings have done worse things. And are we not happy here, for the most part?” He hitched his shoulders in a shrug. “I dare say most of our complaints are petty and unimportant.”

“Well… You might be right about that.” Tanaka gave it a hesitant thought, hands cradled around his cider. “But he could make an effort to appear more favorable, in general. Perhaps then we wouldn’t complain so much.”

Hinata hummed in agreement. It was a good thing, especially for a ruler, to follow an unpopular decision with a favorable act. His mind caught onto a vague but rapidly growing idea, and the more he thought about it the more brilliantly it presented itself.

“So if a distant king made an effort to connect with his people,” he murmured to himself, “and took the initiative to do something fun… then it might ease the harsh critics.”

“What’re you on about?” Tanaka asked, confused.

“Nothing!” Hinata grinned, suddenly excited, and jumped from his seat. “I just remembered that my presence is requested somewhere else!”

He wished the patrons a good day, thanked Tanaka for providing the kingdom with quality apples, and bid them his goodbyes. He rode back to the castle as fast as safely possible and to his luck he happened upon Sugawara in the courtyard, where he immediately proposed his idea.

Confused, Sugawara frowned at him from behind his heavy stack of books. “A festival? For whom?”

“For the castle town! For everyone!” Hinata exclaimed, spreading his arms wide. “An official festival in Kageyama’s name!”

He recounted his conversation at the inn, about Kageyama’s disconnection with his people and how it could easily be improved with a small gesture.

“To create a better impression of Kageyama…?” Sugawara repeated and frowned into the air. “Well, it’s true that our towns often hold smaller festivals by themselves but Kageyama has never interfered with these… It does sound like a good idea, however.” He grinned mischievously. “It also sounds like something Kageyama would hate.”

Hinata rubbed sheepishly at his neck, knowing they had approached the real hurdle in his plan: the King himself. “That’s the reason I told you,” he admitted. “I doubt Kageyama likes me very much.”

“Now that’s simply not true,” Sugawara sternly assured him. “Communication is just difficult for him. When it concerns someone who is neither a typical subject nor a personal friend, he falters. But he doesn’t hate you. In fact, he inquired about you earlier this morning.”

“He did?” Hinata replied in disbelief.

“Yes, mostly about your recovery. I have repeatedly encouraged him to ask you himself but I take it he hasn’t, then.”

He shook his head, dumbfounded. There was no other reason for Kageyama to inquire about his health other than wanting to know when he would finally be ready to leave his castle once and for all. He was certain of this.

“Well, I’m afraid I have some matters to see to at the moment,” Sugawara continued and shifted the stack of books in his arms. “So I suggest you be the one to ask him.”

Hinata nearly recoiled at the thought. “But –”

“You know Kageyama would never come to you on his own accord. Here is the perfect opportunity for you two to get to know each other.”

“I don’t see _why_ we should –”

“He’s in the stables getting his horse ready.”

“No, wait –” Hinata stuttered in horrified protest. “You mean I should talk to him right _now_?”

Sugawara shrugged innocently. “Now is a good time as any. He’s headed out for archery practice and will probably be gone for a while so you better hurry.”

With that he left him with a wink and a smile, obviously knowing full well what kind of turmoil he had caused. Grudgingly, Hinata grabbed Himawari’s reins and shuffled off in direction of the stables. He stepped cautiously into the silent hall, wishing he did not have his horse with him so he might sneak through the premises unheard and unseen.

He kept his eyes trained mostly on the ground, quickly glancing into the stalls as he passed them. There were no sign of any people, only a number of well-groomed horses blinking slowly back at him. He allowed himself to feel tentatively relieved, hoping he had perhaps missed the King after all, until he suddenly heard the double clatter of hooves.

A shadow fell across the floor as Kageyama and his white stallion exited one of the stalls. They loomed in front of him with their towering presence and Kageyama’s features immediately twisted into a glare when he spotted him. He stopped, waited for him to speak, and Hinata choked back a nervous sigh, already counting his sorrows as well as his regrets. All he had wanted was to do something nice for the King, and perhaps he would even get the chance to enjoy a drink and some delicious food in the process, but Kageyama’s expression made him certain none of that would ever happen.

“You’re blocking the path,” he finally remarked, once it was clear Hinata could not find the words.

“Actually, I’m –”

“What?” Kageyama’s offended frown deepened. “You refuse to acknowledge that you’re in my way?”

“N-no!” Hinata stammered, blushing fiercely. “No, I’m not denying that, I just – I have some matters to discuss with the Ki– with you.”

“Matters?”

“Well, I suppose it’s more of an idea…”

“An idea,” Kageyama repeated drily, unimpressed. “Of what sort? Planting sunflowers in my garden again?”

“No…” Hinata paused at his remark, somewhat surprised he even remembered that suggestion. “I was thinking that perhaps we could arrange –”

“No.”

“But –” He gaped at him, convinced he must have misheard his curt rejection. “You haven’t even heard my suggestion yet!”

“Doesn’t matter.” Kageyama tightened the leather strap of his quiver, his lips drawn into a disapproving line. “It already sounds like a terrible idea, I refuse.”

“Please –”

“No.”

“It’s for _your_ benefit!”

At that, Kageyama hands stilled. He looked up, a slight trace of curiosity making its way into his frown. “What sort of benefit?”

“I want to arrange a festival in the castle town, an official festival in your name,” Hinata explained. “I believe such an event would make people approve of you.”

“So you’re concerned that my people disapprove of me?”

“No, that’s not –”

Hinata drew a sharp, frustrated breath. He wanted nothing more than to snap at this impossibly difficult person until he suddenly noticed a flash of sorrow in the King’s eyes; the same sorrow he had witnessed the day he eavesdropped on his meeting. He held his words back, regretting his lack of tact.

“I… apologize for being so blunt. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

“I only meant for it to be a good time, a way for everyone to unite and do something fun together, with you as their official benefactor.”

Kageyama paused for a split second and Hinata grabbed onto his hesitation, seeing it as an opportunity to press on and argue his cause.

“Smaller towns hold simple festivals quite often so the castle town would certainly love this! There’s no need to wait for a particular reason or a holiday. Sometimes we have the freedom to just… do whatever we wish.”

Time halted for a moment and Kageyama did not respond, only regarded him with an unreadable expression. The silence stretched on for too long and Hinata was starting to feel uncomfortable when he received the smallest of nods.

“Ask Sugawara to arrange payment for whatever you might need,” he said stiffly and turned his attention back to his quiver. “Just know that you alone will be responsible for this; don’t inconvenience anyone in my court. You are also to keep your festivities in the town only.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

Hinata could not help but give a loud cheer, startling both king and horse. “I’ll single-handedly take care of everything, leave it to me!” he promised profusely. He stepped aside to let them pass and smiled expectantly. “Won’t you please join us, Kageyama?”

“No,” came the immediate reply. “Have fun.”

Hinata’s smile quickly faltered. He pouted at Kageyama’s retreating back, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

“You’ll soon realize that it _is_ a good idea!” he called after him. “I’ll show you a fireworks display you have never seen before!

**

Hinata’s enthusiasm was not at all crushed, despite the King’s apparent disinterest. As promised he was given all the resources needed and he wasted no time in making preparations. An approval was an approval, no matter how reluctant or dismissive, and he had such faith in his plan that he did not hesitate to grab the opportunity for everything it was worth.

He spent most of the next few days in town, making sure to spread the word and involve as many people as possible. Everywhere he went his plans were met with eagerness as well as many amazed questions about how he had acquired the means for such a feast. Hinata could not give them any other answer than having friends in high places, which was not exactly a lie.

The festivities came together with everyone’s cooperation, and since the King compensated for their expenses they were happy to help. One friend called on another friend for favors and thus a chain of volunteers formed. Tanaka’s apple farm was well established and had no problems providing drinks for the whole town. He was married into the Shimizu family, who ran the town’s inn, and his wife Kiyoko agreed to take care of the food. Ennoshita promised to make sure there would be music and entertainment, and his friend Nishinoya was happy to handle the fireworks. In the end most of the preparations sorted themselves out and Hinata hardly had to do anything but lend a helping hand where needed.

The evening of the festival was the most fun he had experienced in a long time, perhaps even his whole life. There were so many new people to get to know, so many fun stories to share, so much delicious food to eat, and the hours quickly passed with song and laughter.

Still, in all his enjoyment he could not stop thinking about Kageyama, all by himself in his castle. He already knew it was impossible for royalty to blend anonymously into a crowd, but when he had requested his company he genuinely meant it. He could have at least made an appearance and acknowledged their efforts.

However, looking around it did not seem like the main person’s absence put a damper on the townspeople’s mood. They were all so cheerful, many of them loudly toasting in the King’s name and praising him for his generosity. The castle stood tall and quiet up ahead and Hinata wondered if Kageyama could hear the music and the noise, if he was thinking of them like Hinata was thinking of him. All of a sudden he felt a sting of bad conscience.

“I must go home,” he told Tanaka, as he helped him collect empty mugs from the tables.

“But you can’t do that! The main event is still left!”

“I know, but the sun has set and I have a long journey ahead of me,” Hinata replied evasively, trying not to glance in direction of the castle.

“Oh, right,” Tanaka conceded. “You live on the other side of the mountain, I forgot.”

Hinata thanked his new friends for the company and rode back, enjoying the warm spring night. The castle towered serenely above him, still lit up softly. Perhaps the continued festivities were keeping Kageyama awake. Hinata snickered at the thought of the young King tossing and turning in his bed, unable to sleep.

As always the hallways were deserted, wrapped in shadows cast by the yellow glow of the oil lamps. In order to make as little noise as possible he removed his boots and tiptoed quietly through the hallways, careful not to wake anyone in the household. He hoped it would be possible to speak with Kageyama in the morning, or at least have his inquires delivered through Sugawara. He was curious to hear what his thoughts were, to know if he was at all interested in how it went.

He had almost reached the stairs to his floor when he suddenly spotted him. Kageyama stood alone on one of the balconies, gazing out at his garden and the town beyond. A single oil lamp softly illuminated his silhouette, the moon not yet tall enough to catch him in its light. He seemed ready for bed, dressed in white, loosely fitted garments, and his hair was ever so slightly tousled. He looked like someone who had unsuccessfully tried to fall asleep and was now wandering around restlessly.

Hinata lingered in the doorway, wondering if it would be inappropriate to disturb him, but before he could speak Kageyama turned his head slightly.

“Back so soon?”

Hinata suppressed a startled laugh and shrugged. “It was time to retire.” He hesitated before taking a tentative step out on the balcony. “May I join you?”

Kageyama gave a small nod and gestured wordlessly at the empty spot next to him. They stood in silence for a while, listening to the cheers and the laughter drifting up at them, the music echoing into the late hours.

“I’m not used to hearing the town so lively,” Kageyama admitted. “Or, I am… but it sounds different tonight.”

Hinata looked at him from the corner of his eye. “Do you… often listen to the sounds of the late night?”

“Like this?” Kageyama gave it a thought. “Yes, sometimes. If I’m unable to fall asleep.”

His voice floated carefully on the breeze, a hollow tune like dry rustling leaves, and veiled within those few words was a quiet confession. It was apparent he struggled to fall asleep quite often, clearly preoccupied with the battle between his worries and his loneliness.

“I hope the festival was a fun experience for everyone,” he continued, shifting awkwardly. “It was a good initiative. You’re not as stupid as you look.”

“Well, I for one am glad you’re awake.” Hinata grinned widely, wanting nothing more in this moment than to cheer him up. “The best part is still left.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before the first fireworks went off and exploded high above the town, painting the dark blue sky in brilliant colors of red and gold. The patterns shifted and expanded, like a thousand pieces of stained glass twinkling in the sun, challenging the stars with their brilliance. Fireworks master Nishinoya really kept his promise and came through with something special and breathtaking for this event.

“Isn’t it so beautiful?” Hinata exclaimed loudly, smiling brightly as he spread his arms at the sky.

He turned and to his surprise he found Kageyama looking at him instead, his eyes lined with soft wonder but his expression revealing nothing beyond the shadows that hid them. Then he simply smiled, a slight quirk of his lips, before he faced the fireworks again, letting the exploding starlight spill across his features. Hinata did not even realize that he was shamelessly staring until several seconds had passed.

They watched the rest of the illuminations without exchanging any words and the following silence was deafening. The music and laughter quickly resumed in the distance, the early beginnings of an after party, and on top of the soft breeze was a layer of spent gunpowder.

“Hinata,” Kageyama began, clearing his throat, “tomorrow –”

“Yes, yes, I know,” Hinata sighed and waved his hand. “I have recovered well enough. You’ll finally be rid of me.”

“No!” Kageyama exclaimed quickly, making a reach for his arm. He snatched his hand back just as abruptly, blushing fiercely even through the darkness. “I mean – if that’s what you want then I won’t stop you. But before you leave would you… would you perhaps give me some advice?”

Hinata frowned at him, bewildered. “Advice? On what?”

“On planting sunflowers in my garden.”

**

The bags with sunflower seeds arrived already at noon the next day. Hinata was impressed at Kageyama’s efficiency and dedication, how he made haste when there was something he wanted, like an impatient child. Feeling inspired, Hinata immediately took it upon himself to supervise the job. He grabbed a wheelbarrow, loaded it with tools, and with the King in tow he pointed out a nice sunny spot along the eastern side of the garden, perfectly within sight of his favorite gazebo.

He had assumed Kageyama would send for his own gardeners but to his astonishment he rolled up the sleeves of his fine silk shirt, grabbed a couple of shovels, and handed one of them to Hinata.

“Shall we begin, then?”

It took them the whole afternoon but after rigorous digging they had managed to clear up a sizeable patch, planted all the seeds in neat rows, and thoroughly doused the area with water.

“There!” Hinata wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand and admired their handiwork. “Now we wait!”

Watching Kageyama change during the long hours they worked had been a treat in itself. Hinata almost felt like he was intruding on something personal, something that was not meant for his eyes, but he really could not help glancing at him every now and then. Kageyama’s dark hair was ruffled, plastered against his sweaty temples, and the pale cotton of his knees were thoroughly muddy and soiled. He could easily have been mistaken for any ordinary commoner – but at the same time he looked more regal than he ever had before. There was a small carefree smile on his lips, his eyes brighter than the clear blue sky, and Hinata needed a moment to regain his composure.

“Kageyama –”

“What is it?”

“I – I just… never thanked you,” he stuttered clumsily. “You saved my life and you housed me and you made sure I would recover… You were not obligated to do any of this for me. So really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I don’t believe I can ever repay you.”

Kageyama looked at him a little surprised. If Hinata did not know better he would have thought the King flustered.

“Oh –” He cleared his throat. “Of course. I wouldn’t wish death by wolves upon anyone.” He hesitated, his knuckles whitening where he gripped the shovel. “So… how does your family fare? Will they manage without you for the time being?”

“According to the messenger they’re well,” Hinata assured him. “They were very thankful for the food they received from you, apparently there was an abundance of it.” He forced a laugh, not knowing why he was so nervous. “At this time I bet there’s no need for me at the farm.”

“So… it’s not urgent?”

“Urgent?”

“That you have to go back, I mean.”

Hinata stared, uncertain whether he was reading the situation correctly or if his mind was just terribly clouded. “Are you by any chance asking me to stay?”

Kageyama quickly looked away and this time his cheeks definitely reddened. “Well, it’s inconvenient to cross the mountains at this time of year.” He made a vague gesture in direction of the sun above. “It might rain.”

Now Hinata was convinced his mind was not only spinning fables but also that he had unearthed an entirely new king out here in the sunflower patch.

“I… suppose I still have to receive my penalty,” he said slowly, somewhat in disbelief of his own presumptuousness. “For… poaching and trespassing on royal grounds.”

“Yes, those are serious offenses,” Kageyama agreed, setting his blue eyes on him. “It’s decided, then. Your penalty is to stay here a little bit longer.”

**

Another week passed and Hinata came to realize that he was not as misplaced and useless at the castle as he had first thought. His life on the farm had given him practical knowledge across many different fields, all of which turned out to be valuable even on royal grounds. He was capable of helping out wherever needed – in the kitchen, in the garden, in the stables.

He also came to realize that he had not found a brand new king on that sunny day in the sunflower patch. On the contrary, he had found the real king, the young man whose neck was not bent under a heavy crown. Once he relaxed and stopped being so formal, Hinata discovered that spending time with Kageyama was no different than spending time with any ordinary friend.

Kageyama’s temper was explosive but brief, a storm that would blow over before it could manifest and definitely nowhere near as terrible as the rumors would have it. Hinata mostly saw it as an amusing and harmless element of the king’s personality, one that often spurred on a competition more than a serious argument. It was not above him to roll his sleeves up and get his hands dirty over things most other royals would consider common people’s work, and he showed an unexpected appreciation for putting in effort where it was due. The concept of hard work did not apply to him; it did not even exist in his world, and yet he valued it.

His favorite new discovery was how Kageyama’s features always softened whenever he smiled, something he easily did when speaking of the things he enjoyed, and Hinata would often find himself losing track of the conversation because he was too lost in the way his hands moved or the way his eyes lit up. He felt inclined to forgive and forget about their rough start and he truly pitied those who did not know this side of the King. He supposed royalty did not have much of a choice in the way of communicating with their subjects, which was a shame. It was simply the custom to only be a sovereign and nothing more.

“Did we water them enough?” Kageyama asked and frowned at the little green sprouts as they rode past the sunflower patch. “According to our gardeners they require more water than most other plants.”

Hinata smiled to himself, finding Kageyama’s concern endearing. He had come a long way, from resisting the idea to tending to the sunflowers himself. It warmed his heart in a way he could not fully explain.

“The best time to water plants is early in the morning or late in the evening. There’s still plenty of time left!” He turned his horse around and pointed across the stretch of open field beyond the garden. “Let’s race!” he declared. “I’ll beat you for sure!”

Kageyama scoffed. “Your mare up against my stallion?”

“What does it matter if she’s a mare?” Hinata challenged, offended on his horse’s behalf. “Himawari would never back down from anyone, she’s reliable like that!”

“I’m sure she is but Kaiser is the strongest and fastest horse in the whole kingdom. That’s the reason he belongs to me. You won’t beat us.”

“We’ll see about that! Race you to the grove over there?”

Kageyama smirked. “Prepare to lose.”

Without another word they spurred their horses on, taking off in a whirl of grass and dirt. Hinata gripped the reins tightly and leaned forward in the saddle, feeling a surge of excitement as Himawari’s long, bright mane whipped him across the face. She was undoubtedly of a heavier build than the long-legged and muscular Kaiser, there was no getting around that fact, but she had a powerful kick and an unwavering will. Hinata knew it was possible to get far on just those two things alone.

They flew across the field, barely neck and neck, and with one last encouragement of his heels Hinata drove his horse forward and emerged victorious. He slowed down with a triumphant grin and pulled around to face Kageyama.

“Ha! Told you so!”

Kageyama glowered back at him. “You won by the skin of your teeth.”

“But it was a win nonetheless.”

“Hardly,” Kageyama huffed sourly as he tied Kaiser up by a low-hanging branch. “You could never keep that speed up in the long run, another meter and we would’ve beaten you for sure. Besides, your riding form is terrible.”

“Petty excuses,” Hinata said and crossed his arms stubbornly. “Don’t underestimate me just because you can call yourself a royal.”

“I wasn’t. I was merely commenting.”

“Then admit defeat!”

“You,” Kageyama began and stepped closer, pointing a finger at him, “are annoying.”

“And you, my Lord, are a sore loser.”

The honorific had rolled off his tongue before he could stop it and it took a moment for Hinata to realize he could not undo it. He gasped softly and stepped away, his back hitting the nearest tree, forcing him to stay put. He could not say why he had addressed him like that again, why it had slipped out of his mouth _now_. Perhaps it was only to tease or provoke, or perhaps he did not mean anything by it at all, perhaps he was just being a fool – but he had said it and he was unable to tell why it felt so different this time. It was not that he was afraid; on the contrary, he was anticipating what came next.

He remained quiet as Kageyama took a step forward, his expression unreadable, almost blank – and then, instead of being violent or angry, he pulled him closer and kissed him.

It was unclear for how long they stayed that way. It could have been a second or it could have been an hour; it was all the same within their bubble. Time did not exist there. Hinata only felt Kageyama’s hands tightly gripping his shoulders, his hair softly caressing his face, the sweet taste of his lips.

They broke free as abruptly as they connected. The warmth left him, almost cruelly, and the hand at his shoulder was now pushing him away, keeping him at an arm length’s distance.

“I –” Kageyama stammered breathlessly. “I don’t know what came over me –” He turned away, cheeks glowing. “I apologize. Let – let’s go back –”

Though it was surprising, Hinata had somewhere in his dazed mind expected the kiss to end on a tender note. He thought soothing words would come dancing out of Kageyama’s mouth, words that were honey-wrapped by the low tone of his voice, words that only a real king could speak. Instead he looked about ready to throw him headfirst into the grove and leave him there in sheer panic.

Kageyama appeared to him so young in this moment, young and inexperienced and terrified, and Hinata decided that perhaps, just this once, he would have to be impertinent and take the lead.

“Wait –” He quickly grabbed him, holding him back. “Stop.”

“Let go of me,” Kageyama snapped.

“Are you not the king?”

His breath seemed stuck in his chest as he paused. “What?”

“You are the king,” Hinata repeated firmly. “You may do whatever you want.”

“No, I – just because I’m king I can’t… I shouldn’t have done that.”

“But you did it because you wanted to? You _wanted_ to kiss me?”

Kageyama wavered a little, frowning at the hand clutching his wrist. “…Yes.”

“Then I’m telling you, right now. Kiss me.”

“Why?”

“Because _I_ also want you to kiss me!” Hinata snapped, frustrated. “Clearly, I feel something for you but _you_ are the king. _You_ are at liberty to do what you want. I’ll even give you permission if that –”

The rest of his words vanished when Kageyama’s lips once again found his. All Hinata could do was allow him. Because he really wanted this – he wanted Kageyama’s arms wrapped tightly around his waist, pressing him flush against his body, wanted to melt into his embrace, to remain closer to him than anyone else, wanted to breathe him in deeply, wholeheartedly. He just wanted to stay in this moment where Kageyama was never royalty and Hinata was always his friend, just the two of them kissing in a shadowy grove on a spring day.

In the end he found himself so breathless that his body grew weak. Reluctantly, he parted from him, clutching the front of Kageyama’s shirt, before he gave up and slid to his knees. Vaguely he thought that this was somehow fitting, a commoner kneeling in front of his Lord after having his wish granted – but then Kageyama followed him to the forest floor, unwilling to let go. He held him tightly and buried his face into Hinata’s neck, an act that seemed to stem from desperation more than affection.

“I should’ve been born the same as you,” he admitted at length, his breath warm. “So that we’d be equals.”

Hinata was certain he had misheard him. He untangled his hands from Kageyama’s hair and held them up at the sky, turning them around in the sunlight. They were working hands, with dirt underneath the nails and bruises between the knuckles. They were proof of the gold he would never own, of the people he would never relate to, of the characters he would never learn how to read. No matter how many sunflowers the King planted, Kageyama’s hands would always be different from Hinata’s.

“It should be the other way around…” he commented with a murmur. “I should’ve been born a noble. I believe it would be better.”

Kageyama did not reply for a while, only hid his face away. When he finally spoke there was sadness in his voice so clear that Hinata nearly took to tears.

“No,” he said quietly. “I don’t believe it would.”

**

There was no doubt the kiss changed something between them. It was hard to forget that it had happened. It was not something to walk away from unperturbed, the fact that they had shared such an intimate moment with each other. But while Hinata saw it as a good change, perhaps even a step forward, he could not quite tell if Kageyama felt the same way.

He followed Kageyama’s light but sure footsteps, watched his tall form as he led them through the undergrowth, the quiver on his back and the longbow in his hand. The kiss might not have changed his mind or removed his attraction, but it might have added hesitation instead. Perhaps it had also added doubt and wariness and even fear. Frankly, the kiss might have added many different complicated things, making it an even heavier burden for the King to bear.

Hinata could not tell what he was thinking because he would not confide in him. He acted the same way as before, apparently in the belief that he could hide how bad of a liar he was, and it was frustrating. He had closed off a part of himself and Hinata felt that he was balancing a precarious line between speaking his mind and risking a real penalty.

“I like to come here for target practice,” Kageyama said, bringing him out of his worried thoughts. “But mostly I come here when I want to be alone.”

They had reached a shallow creek that ran lazily through the forest. The birch trees stood tall around them, continuing endlessly into the sunlit distance before gradually fading into hazy shadows. The green ferns reached their knees and the forest floor was soft beneath them, yielding with each step.

On the other side of the waterway was a makeshift target mounted on the trunk of a solid tree. It was a basic construction made out of simple cork with a red-painted bull’s-eye in the middle. It was littered with a tight collection of arrow marks, evidence of frequent use as well as the archer’s high level of skill.

Kageyama set his bow and quiver down and crossed the creek, stepping gracefully from rock to rock until his feet found solid ground. He spent some time brushing the shrubbery out of the way and Hinata thought of how lovely he looked like this, with the sunlight filtering through the leaves, leaving droplets of gold in his hair. He looked like he was supposed to be here, out in the free, and once again Hinata’s words were far ahead of him.

“Why would anyone ever claim your mother was a demon?”

Kageyama walked back to where he stood, head tilted in confusion. “What?”

“Your mother… If anything, she must have been an angel.”

“Why would you tell me that, so suddenly?” Kageyama muttered, embarrassed.

Hinata felt brave in this moment. He reached up and rested his palm gently against his cheek.

“I’m telling you because I think you’re beautiful.”

Kageyama’s eyes fluttered shut, almost reluctantly, and for the briefest of seconds he leaned ever so slightly into his touch. His response was all that Hinata needed in order to throw his hesitation aside and forget that he stood in front of royalty. His hands found the front of his shirt and he pulled him closer, making their lips connect once more.

A few long, impatient days had passed since their first kiss. What Hinata wanted now was honesty, something he could accept as an apology for the time he had spent wondering and worrying. If Kageyama willingly allowed himself to be kissed in the first place then there were no problems. Surely it meant they both had feelings for each other.

At first there was a moment where he expressed every bit of regality that he was, his hands finding purchase in Hinata’s hair, grasping it so hard his scalp began to sting – until he seemed to slowly change his mind. His hands grew lighter, feathering along his body as though he was handling frail porcelain. In the end he did not seem to want to properly touch him, something that only made Hinata hold onto him even tighter. They remained locked in a private tug of war that did not lead anywhere, and in his desperation Hinata slipped his arms firmly around the small of Kageyama’s back. He moved his lips away from his mouth and down to the base of his neck, where he managed to coax a strained moan out of him.

“Oh, God…” Kageyama uttered, his voice weak. “What… am I doing?”

Hinata stilled, confused by his words. He pulled away slightly to look at him, expecting blushing cheeks and a blissed out smile, but instead Kageyama’s eyes were tight, squeezed together in something that resembled pain. Before he could even question it he took a step back, his shoulders slumped, and he pressed his palms hard over his eyelids.

“Kageyama…? Are you unwell?”

“I shouldn’t be doing this,” he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. “This isn’t right.”

“What…?” Hinata reached hesitantly for his hands, wanting to pull them away from his face. “Why?”

Kageyama did not answer. With his eyes downcast he picked up his bow, turned around without another word, and started back up the path they came. Hinata hurried after him, stumbling through the undergrowth, taken aback by this meaningless change of heart. He kept calling Kageyama’s name to no avail and by the time they reached their horses his confusion had turned into frustration.

“Why won’t you allow me near you?”

Kageyama paused at that. He turned around with Kaiser’s reins clutched in his hands. “What?”

“We were finally getting close!”

“If breaking a kiss makes you so upset –”

“No, not that!” Hinata snapped. “Why won’t you allow me into your heart?”

“I –” Kageyama wavered, his hand drifting up to his chest, as though to see if his heart was still there, if it was still beating. “Hinata… I’m the king, I can’t – I have to think about my – if my father had been alive –”

“Well, he’s not!”

Hinata knew he should have stopped talking long ago but he did not care. He felt something within him tighten with anger, like a hard fist, and he could not deal with this doubt and worry anymore.

“I swear, if your father called upon you from his grave right now you would still come running, you would still scrape and grovel and apologize before him! Your father’s tyranny appears to be the only place you believe love and acceptance could ever come from!”

His words fell with cruel finality, echoing through the woods and rousing a flock of birds into flight. Kageyama stared at him, blue eyes wide and glazed, and for the longest moment he said nothing.

“How dare you?” he breathed at last. “You don’t understand anything.”

“Then help me understand,” Hinata pleaded. “I promise I will. I will understand.”

With one last glare Kageyama ignored his pleas and swung himself up on his horse, turning them both around. Without even so much as a glance behind he spoke,

“Perhaps you should leave instead.”

Helplessly, Hinata watched him disappear in direction of the castle. He sat heavily down on the grass and looked at his horse, which was grazing nearby, and he felt his anger slowly wane into despair.

“I must have lied to him just now,” he muttered to himself. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand. How can anyone understand a stubborn, complicated fool like him?”

Indeed, he should take Kageyama on his word and leave. He had stayed at the castle long enough, far past his welcome. It was time to go home and look after his mother and sister, who surely needed him more than a king did – a king who had been lonely for so long, a king who believed he still had to live up to his father, a king who could rely on no one outside of his court, perhaps not even inside of it, except his advisor.

He had no one but Hinata.

With new resolve Hinata tore a handful of grass from the ground and stood, refusing to give up in such a miserable place. At least he deserved a chance to understand, and if he were still too dense to learn, _then_ would he leave. To continue on with this exhausting push and pull of emotions was beneath both of their dignity.

**

It took a few days before he ran into Kageyama again. It was not unexpected, considering how they had parted, and while they had spent many hours together Hinata still did not know where Kageyama’s personal chambers were. Not even Sugawara was anywhere to be seen.

He went back to their usual places many times, often passing by the gazebo and riding out to the river, but he always came back empty-handed. With no other options left Hinata had no choice but settle for waiting. He spent most of his lonely days in the town, just to seek company, and when the weather turned into heavy rain he stayed at the castle. He sat by the large window in his room and gazed thoughtfully out at the grey horizon until he nodded off. He told himself that it was fine like this. Perhaps they needed some time apart.

They were already on the fifth day when Hinata finally found Kageyama. He spotted him by chance, standing on the same balcony where they had watched the fireworks together. He lingered, willed his racing pulse to calm down, and silently watched Kageyama’s turned-away back. His heart clenched painfully at the way his shoulders slumped, at the way his hands gripped the railing. He reminded him of the day when they had first kissed, of how young and terrified he had seemed then, and Hinata knew that above all he simply should have held him close and said nothing.

In the end Kageyama seemed to notice his presence and straightened up a little. Hinata took it as an invitation to join him. For a long and peaceful moment they both just stood there gazing out at the landscape unfolding before them. The rain had let up, allowing the sun to break through the cloudy sky at last. The fields were left soaked through and in the garden most of the flowers had been forced to bend under the strain.

“Your kingdom is beautiful,” Hinata remarked. “You’re lucky.”

“I know,” Kageyama replied. “It’s fit for a king, at least one who deserves it.”

He paused for a second, his hands still tense where he rested them on the polished stone.

“I thought you had left,” he admitted, and Hinata was happy to hear relief in his voice, rather than disappointment and blame.

“I’m not someone you can rid yourself of so easily,” he said jokingly. “For better or worse.”

Kageyama said nothing in response. Hinata glanced at him and finally noticed the pale red shadow under his eyes, the small droplets clinging to his lashes, and his heart sank. He may not have put his tears there but he had encouraged them, and for that he felt terrible. Carefully, he reached out and turned Kageyama’s face towards him, gently wiping a stray tear away with his thumb.

“Kageyama, I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “It was not my place to say those things to you and I apologize. I wish this feeling would stop lingering with you. I’m so sorry I can’t do anything to change your past.”

“It’s not your responsibility.” Kageyama gave a little shrug, not leaning into his touch but not moving away, either. “Seeking affection from your father is hard enough as it is,” he added, his eyes downcast. “Seeking affection from the king is impossible.”

“It’s not impossible,” Hinata disagreed. “You have showed me affection and you are a king after all.”

His remark made Kageyama smile a little. “My affection for you is different.”

“Even so, not receiving affection in the past doesn’t mean you are undeserving _now_. It’s not impossible to love you,” Hinata argued. He let his hand slip away from his cheek to rest gingerly at his chest. “If it were up to me I’d make sure you always knew. I promise I’d tell you every day.”

“You’re making such honorable promises,” Kageyama muttered. “Those kind of promises are so hard to keep…” With a sigh, he gathered Hinata’s hand in both of his, carefully cradling it. “Please understand that it’s not that simple, for either of us. I want you but some things just cannot happen, and if we do allow them to happen there will be endless grief, especially for you.”

“Say that again.”

Kageyama frowned. “Say what?”

“Those words you said before you made empty excuses.”

Hinata stared intently at him, his fingers curling into a mutual grasp inside Kageyama’s hands.

“I… I want you.”

“Well, if you feel that way then it’s enough for me.” He turned Kageyama’s clasped hands to press a kiss to his knuckles. “Endless grief or not, I don’t care.”

“Hinata, please –”

“I mean it,” he insisted and leaned closer, his lips brushing lightly against the corner of Kageyama’s mouth. “You once said you wished we were equals,” he whispered. “So let us both be equals now.”

When Kageyama gave in to him, Hinata was immediately captivated. He felt it in the way he embraced him and in the way he kissed him, how he finally left everything behind and simply crumbled. This time all they needed was a spark. There was no hesitation, no desperation, and no shame, only a bright spark to start something more, like the moment before the fireworks went off. Hinata held him tightly, keeping him there in fear he would suddenly change his mind, and he was so captivated by him. He was captivated and amazed and perhaps most of all honored that someone like Kageyama could feel this way in _his_ arms.

Kageyama had no intentions of following his lead for too long, however. Instead he pulled away and roughly steered them both off the balcony. He said nothing else, only grabbed him by the wrist and led them down the hallway, not stopping until they had reached Hinata’s room, where he pushed him inside.

“What makes you think you’re invited here?” Hinata smirked as the door slipped shut behind them.

“This is my castle,” Kageyama murmured. “All the rooms belong to me.”

With hands roaming everywhere they eased out of shirts and breeches, their fingers tangled in laces and hooks, and Hinata shivered seeing Kageyama above him, his body pinning him down on the bed as he wrung his undershirt off. Their eyes met, bright sky caught in smoldering earth, and the roughness from earlier was gone.

“Do you still want me,” Hinata asked, reaching up to cradle his face in his hands, “my Lord?”

“You’re the only one who makes my title sound like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m someone to be revered.”

Hinata smiled. “But you are.”

Kageyama tilted his head down, blocking the light from his view.

“You know what my given name is,” he whispered in his ear. “You have my permission to use it.”

Hearing those words made Hinata’s heart burst with pride. He managed a joyful little laugh before it melted and disappeared in the depths of their kiss.

Kageyama’s name must have been given only for Hinata to say it, or so it felt. He loved the weight of the syllables on his tongue, so light and round and nothing like the long shadows of his royal family name. It fell from his lips like it was meant to be and he took shameless advantage of it, a feeling akin to greed welling up in him, and in the end he cried out his name so loudly it must have resonated through the floor, perhaps even the whole castle. He did not care; neither of them did. They only clasped hands tightly as they welcomed each other’s warmth and moved together.

“Tobio,” Hinata whispered in the moment Kageyama’s weight came bearing down upon him, his body falling heavily into his embrace.

He told him the words he had promised him, the first of what he hoped would be many more.

“Tobio, I love you.”

**

Over the last month the thought had snuck into his head, gradually and quietly. It was something that at first was too tangled to pay attention to but at the same time it was not a bad thought so he left it there, somewhere in the back of his mind. It was now, in Hinata’s constant presence, that Kageyama seriously began entertaining the possibility of asking him to stay forever.

He knew only a short time had passed but his life had already changed in little, subtle ways. It was not until he faced his weekly meeting with a smile that he realized his heart was also beating differently. Even the Spokesman had looked at him strangely, as though wondering who this new king was.

Kageyama slept soundly with Hinata in his arms, and for now his usual nightmare had been chased away, along with his father’s ghost. Even the castle seemed livelier; its empty rooms now warm and sunlit.

His bed, too, was warm and sunlit.

On occasion, there had been others in Kageyama’s bed, nobles who were there first and foremost because the council had arranged it, in the hopes of a suitable union. Kageyama had never been interested. Unless he asked them to leave immediately they would pass the time with brief conversation, perhaps even a game of cards, if the mood was right. Still, he barely lifted his eyes for any of them.

But having Hinata in his bed was different. His tan, naked skin contrasted starkly with the creamy silken sheets, his bright hair was a soft halo upon his pillow, his shoulders were broad and strong from hard physical work, and his supple thighs trembled around Kageyama’s waist – he was no royal but he was beautiful.

It made Kageyama think, in the moments when Hinata bared his neck, when the small of his back curved up from the sheets, when he exhaled small sighs of pleasure, that this had to be what mutual feelings looked like. Just because he was the ruler of a kingdom did not mean he had ever had hands roam his body like this. It did not mean he had ever received whispered words like this, or had bruises kissed into his neck like this.

He tightened his hands on Hinata’s waist, his warmth engulfing him completely, bringing him to the brink of ecstasy, and it occurred to him that no other man had ever before seen the vulnerable arch of his throat the way Hinata had.

“Where did you get this scar?” Hinata asked him afterwards, nestled against Kageyama’s side, warm and spent.

He ran his hand gently over his chest, where a mark had been carved into his skin, a thin, pale line right across his heart.

“In the war.”

“You fought in the war?” Hinata stared at him in surprise. “You were Crown Prince back then! You were only a teenager!”

“I was only there briefly, a few days at the most.” Kageyama shrugged. “I wanted to prove something to my father and… well, I failed. Instead we lost our best general when he rushed in to protect me.” He paused to keep the memories from invading his mind, of the fated arrow that slipped between his trembling fingers and the sword that came slashing through the air. “He died because of me.”

“He was your general,” Hinata said softly, his fingers resuming their light wandering across his chest. “I’m sure he was ready to sacrifice his life to save you.”

Kageyama’s eyes tightened. “That sounds unfair and inhuman.”

“Being forced to take over a throne at a young age also sounds unfair and inhuman. I would’ve gone to war, too, if I were in your place.”

“Surely you wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would!” Hinata argued insistently. “Most royalty are locked away safe and sound during a crisis, while they leave the commoners to die, like my father. I wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

“I’m sorry about your father,” Kageyama replied quietly. “I’m afraid I was much too young to be useful.”

“At least you fought together with your people instead of watching them suffer from afar. Even the attempt alone was enough. And besides,” Hinata added, waving his hand in front of him as if wielding an invisible sword, “if you ever were to fight in a war again you would be successful! You’re much stronger and skilled now than you were then.”

“Hopefully there will be no need to prove that.”

“There won’t be,” he smiled. “Because you’re the king now.”

“I’ll always be king,” Kageyama sighed. “Even after my death people will still address me as king.”

“But you rarely ever wear your crown. In fact, you wear it only for special occasions. So why not simply leave it be sometimes? You can just be you, the way you are here with me. Just Tobio.”

“Not wearing my crown doesn’t change my title.”

“Wearing your crown doesn’t change _you_.”

Kageyama blinked at him, slightly stunned. Admiringly, he reached out and twisted one of Hinata’s tangerine curls around his finger. He never thought he would be offered these warm feelings, or have such sincere words spoken to him by someone he could also call his lover.

“I’m late for my council meeting,” he muttered and looked away, shy all of a sudden.

“Who are your council?” Hinata asked, curious at the mention of them. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen them around.”

“Sugawara is the one who deals with them the most. But they requested my presence this morning so I suppose I must see to it.”

“Then, I’ll wait for you. I’ll do some garden work in the meantime.”

Hinata sat up, the silken sheets slipping off his shoulders as he did so, coiling into a rose at the small of his back. He stretched his arms above his head before he caught Kageyama’s appreciative stare. He glanced at him over his shoulder, the corner of his lips quirking into a knowing smile.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking about how much I want to be with you,” Kageyama replied.

“You _are_ with me.”

“I mean officially.”

“Officially?” Hinata repeated with a faltering smile. He huffed an uncertain laugh. “When did you become so bold?”

Kageyama sat up and leaned in closer, brushed his lips close to the shell of Hinata’s ear. “So is this the only way we could ever be equals? Here in the bedroom?”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Hinata sighed. “I do love you, and I want to be with you, but I’m not delusional. I don’t think I deserve to stand officially by your side. It would be the same as comparing coal to diamonds. Only one of those may adorn a crown; the other is meant to go up in flames.”

“That’s where you find diamonds, though,” Kageyama pointed out. “Among coal.”

“I couldn’t say,” Hinata murmured. “I’m not educated enough to speak on that.”

Kageyama rested his chin on Hinata’s shoulder, caressing his arm and running his fingertips along his veins, before he found his hand and slotted their fingers together. A thought had been brewing in his mind all day, but now that he properly grabbed onto it the thought quickly snowballed into something bigger. In the end it seemed to him so significant that it was hard to properly entertain it. It was a thought too grand and too novel to perceive – but unimaginable did not mean unattainable.

“If our relationship could go beyond your delusions… would you accept it?”

“That’s impossible.” Hinata turned his head and stared at him. “It can’t go any further.”

“But if it could.”

“If – if it could then… of course I would accept,” he replied, almost in defeat, as though the mere thought of ever denying Kageyama anything was too painful. “All you need to do is ask.”

He hesitantly studied his face, seemed to seek the true meaning behind his words, but Kageyama stole a quick kiss before he could find his answer.

“Then perhaps I will.”

**

Sugawara was waiting for him outside the meeting room, pacing back and forth. His advisor seemed a little confused, his demeanor slightly frazzled in a way it usually never was. He looked clueless as to why they had been summoned, which was also unusual. Sugawara had a tendency to know everything.

“Everyone is here,” he said pointedly.

“Everyone?”

“Yes.” Sugawara reached out to properly lace up the front of Kageyama’s shirt. “And frankly, I’m not sure why they would be.”

Those were Kageyama’s feelings, exactly. It was odd that they had not informed Sugawara beforehand, as was custom, and the council always followed the custom. He could not think of any recent matter so pressing that the council would summon him, and not the other way around.

He entered the room to deep bows and murmured greetings. Kageyama sat down at the end of the long table, waited for the members to do the same, and then looked at each and every one of the six faces staring back at him. Most of his council was made up of men more than twice his age; all of them had served his father in the past and the oldest members had even been there during his grandfather’s reign. All of them had many years of experience but he knew that not all of them were entirely on his side. They were only part of his inheritance.

As usual, the Secretary spoke first.

“We deeply apologize for disturbing you, my Lord,” he offered, with a small incline of his head.

Kageyama spread his arms, inviting them to continue. “Then feel free to share your reasons for doing so.”

“We have concerns,” the Secretary admitted.

“Concerns? About what?”

“About the peasant.”

Kageyama narrowed his eyes in suspicion, already sensing a small defensive sprout of annoyance taking root in his chest, and he could tell this meeting would be a very tiresome one. Discussing his personal matters was always the worst. He should have realized this sooner.

“The peasant?” he repeated slowly, as though daring them to speak ill of him.

“Yes, my Lord,” the Grandmaster chimed in. “The peasant who appears to have taken permanent lodgings in this very castle.”

Kageyama pursed his lips, taking issue with the Grandmaster’s phrasing. There was disapproval in those carefully chosen words; an apparent criticism of said peasant’s presence.

“His name is Hinata and he happens to be a landowner.”

“Oh, of several acres, I am sure,” the Grandmaster replied, and this time the sarcasm was unmistakable.

“Land is land,” Kageyama retaliated. “He owns more than you, who do not own any land at all as far as I’m aware, so what makes you an authority on this?”

The elderly man sat back, his lips drawn tightly shut, and some of the irritation in Kageyama’s chest eased to make way for smug satisfaction.

“Why would you have concerns about him?” he continued. “He’s none of your business.”

“We respectfully disagree.”

“Why?”

“Because it _is_ our business, my Lord,” the Chancellor added. “Your relationships are indeed of concern to us.”

Kageyama squirmed a little in his seat. They all seemed determined to follow this particular direction and he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with their agenda. He turned his head slightly to make sure Sugawara was still by his side before he answered.

“The only time a relationship of mine has been of your concern is when you have personally tried to arrange them for me,” Kageyama explained as calmly as he could. “I have decided on this one by myself. Therefore, it’s of no concern to you.”

“My Lord,” the Chaplain began amicably, “simply all we are saying is… perhaps your relationship with this peasant is so fleeting that it would not be beneficial to you in the long run. You may keep him if this fling amuses you, you are still young and no one is denying you your fun –”

“Is that what you think this is?” Kageyama interrupted him, his hands balled into fists. “You think I’m only doing this for fun? That I want to keep him like he’s pastime? When have I ever displayed that sort of behavior in the past, for you to think this of me?”

“Well, a relationship is supposed to be –”

“You don’t believe a relationship can be enjoyable and beneficial at the same time?”

“Of course it can, my Lord,” the Chaplain nodded quickly. “But it is not likely to happen with this person.”

“And why not? Is it because he’s a commoner?”

“A life among royalty means he will inevitably be pulled into a life of scrutiny,” the Chancellor pointed out with finality, reminding him of a fact that Kageyama already knew but had not yet found the courage to face. “I am sure his knowledge of tradition and diplomacy is limited, and as a more… simple and _carefree_ person he might not even wish to live a life like that. You will need a suitable person by your side in order for your people to think favorably of you.”

Kageyama felt his chest contract with anger and hopelessness – anger because of their blatant disrespect, and hopelessness because he could feel his ancestry slowly creeping back to haunt him once again.

“I might as well resign, then, if my people can only think favorably of me through someone else. Don’t use the people as an excuse for your own preferences and opinions. Besides, Hinata is plenty favorable. He is the one who arranged the town festival, to great success.”

“But that is all he did,” the Spokesman replied. “Any high official could have arranged such a festival.”

“So why didn’t they? Hinata proposed the idea and I allowed it. Every once in a while I’m capable of making my own decisions.”

“Well, if you and your advisor were older perhaps your decisions would be more convenient,” the Grandmaster commented drily.

“And if all of you were younger perhaps you would reach your point faster,” Kageyama flared up, causing Sugawara to press a light touch against his elbow.

“I am afraid you really do not have much of a choice, my Lord,” the Chancellor said, his tone now cordial, as though he was speaking to a child. “I sympathize with your little rebellion but as a king you have responsibilities which you cannot ignore. It is who you will always be, whether you like it or not. Moreover,” he added pointedly, “I am sure you need not be reminded of the way your mother so disgracefully abandoned her station, and how the war caused the King’s downfall. You are merely seven years into your reign; your kingdom is still a newborn. By now you know very well that rebuilding a country is no easy feat, and if you were ever forced to abdicate at this time it will all fall apart. It is your duty to make sure the past does not repeat itself and you may start by agreeing to a suitable union.”

“He said he was willing to stay with me,” Kageyama said, defeated. “Hinata said he would accept if I offered him a place by my side.”

“But of course he would, my Lord,” the Treasurer agreed with a nod and Kageyama despised how softly comforting he sounded. “He will know a life of riches and luxury that he has never known before. Of course he would accept your offer.”

There was a moment of heavy silence, their words lingering in the room like an echo. It seemed his father had long since sealed his only son’s fate, and the consequences of his last actions were extended through the council who once worked for him. Apparently they were still working for him. They were elders who treated Kageyama as nothing more than an ill-mannered toddler who did not know his own good and who now threw a tantrum because he did not get what he wanted.

“My Lord?”

“Leave,” Kageyama murmured. “All of you.”

The council members glanced at each other a little nervously, their movements hesitant and confused, before they slowly rose from their seats, nodding and bowing as they filed out of the room.

“Kageyama…”

Again he felt Sugawara’s hand on his shoulder and without thinking he shrugged it off.

“I said, _all_ of you.”

Hesitantly, Sugawara’s touch left him, and somehow the absence of its weight made him feel heavier. A few wordless seconds later the door slid shut and he was alone.

Kageyama wondered if his mind had become so muddled that he had completely lost sight of it. When he came here today he had genuinely wanted to propose Hinata as his future significant other. Even if custom turned out to be too strict and there could be no official union, he still believed he could seek the council’s goodwill and eventually obtain their blessings. He had walked into this meeting thinking it was entirely possible, that there were such blessings to be found. He should have known that he would make a fool of himself.

It broke his heart knowing that he had been right from the start. It was not worth putting himself through this ordeal and it was most definitely not worth making Hinata suffer over something he could not help. There would only be endless grief, just like he said.

Clearly, he was never meant to keep both his kingdom and his happiness. Between Karasuno and Hinata he could only choose one but he knew he did not really have much of a choice.

**

It was already noon when Hinata stepped out of the sunflower patch. The sprouts seemed to be thriving from the recent rainfall and were reaching stubbornly up from the mud and sand, refusing to bend like so many of the other flowers had done.

He was making his way from the garden with the wheelbarrow in tow when he suddenly caught sight of Kageyama. He strode resolutely across the courtyard in direction of the stables, his bow in hand. Was he headed out for practice? Hinata frowned at this unexpected sight, wondering why he had not asked him to join him. These days they always practiced archery together.

He felt a little offended at being ignored this way and hurried after him, quickly wiping his muddy hands on his shirt. He found him in Kaiser’s stall, already in the process of saddling the horse, and even though he did not say a word Hinata could immediately tell his mood was off. Kageyama was rough in the way he handled the leather, his movements short and abrupt, his face turned away from the light. Hinata stood there, torn between a greeting and a question about the council meeting. In the end he chose neither.

“Will you ride out to practice?” he asked softly, so as not to startle him. “I’ll come with you.”

“No.”

The curt reply gave Hinata pause. “Why not?”

“I don’t think we should be speaking.”

“What…?” This time Hinata could not help but laugh incredulously, more bewildered than worried by the unexpected answer. Kageyama’s words were so hollow and strange he did not even register them at first, as though they had reached him in a foreign tongue. “Why shouldn’t we be speaking?”

He offered him no response, his angry hands never ceased moving, and Hinata knew that this kind of quiet, repressed anger did not simply appear out of nowhere.

“What did the council tell you?” he inquired, determined to find the source of his mood. “Did they speak over you? Did they give you orders?”

At that Kageyama stopped and turned around, blue eyes glaring. “They did not.”

“Then why are you angry?” Hinata demanded impatiently. “Why shouldn’t we be speaking? Surely if something was wrong you’d confide in me?” He hesitated, a thought suddenly occurring to him. “Unless… this _is_ about me?”

He watched Kageyama’s shoulders twitch, the tips of his ears turning slightly pink, and those subtle changes were confirmation good enough. The meeting had really been about him.

“Is your council opposed to our relationship?” he continued, warily treading the edges of Kageyama’s anger. “Do they look down on me for being a commoner? Do they disapprove of my presence here? Because if they do then I was prepared for that. In fact, I understand them. It would be odd if they just accepted me uncritically. Believe me, I’m not stupid. I know what challenges I’m facing but as long as we’re together they can’t hurt me. We can overcome them.”

“Why do you insist on this?” Kageyama muttered, a trace of tenderness in his voice. “Why would you stay here even if it meant spending the rest of your life as a secret?”

“Because I love you,” Hinata replied intently, his hands coming up to press against his own chest, and only then was he made aware of how fast his heart was racing. “I said I would love you and I meant it.”

“You meant it because I’m king.”

The tenderness in his voice was abruptly gone, his words once again as rough as his movements, and for the first time Hinata could not tell if Kageyama was only testing him or if he had really changed his mind. This person was a complete stranger to him. This was a brand new king, a king that did not seem to fit the mold he had suddenly crafted for himself, and Hinata did not care for him one bit.

“I meant it because you’re Tobio,” he argued, a painful sting lacing his breath. “Even if you were a commoner like me I would still mean it. Your crown and your castle mean nothing to me. I already told you: all you need to do is ask.”

Kageyama tightened the last of the straps with a forceful pull that made even the strong Kaiser grunt in startled discomfort. His arms fell at his sides, his neck slightly bent, his hands balled into fists.

“I will ask you,” he agreed. “I will ask you to leave.”

Hinata felt those words in the same way he felt water slipping between his fingers. It felt like loss and emptiness; like something that slowly drifted away from him no matter how hard he tried to hold on to it.

“I won’t do that,” he replied quietly, the desperation crashing against his ribs like ocean waves. “I refuse to leave you.”

His answer made Kageyama’s shoulders tense up. His shirt stretched tightly across his back, his posture like stone. A stifling moment passed before he finally moved – at first there was merely a slight tilt of his head, an acknowledgement of Hinata’s resolve. He slowly picked up his bow, slipped an arrow into position, and drew the string tight.

Then he turned around until the arrow was pointed directly at Hinata’s chest.

Hinata’s eyes widened, not quite believing what he saw. Numbly he raised his arms, palms facing outward, and slowly took a step back. The arrow trembled dangerously, the only thing keeping it from flying directly into his heart was Kageyama’s hand. His eyes had lost their hue of royal blue and were instead replaced by dark pits. Hinata had never seen him like this before. It was the unfamiliarity, the novelty of it all that kept him in place, rather than fear. He locked eyes with him and tried not to show any distrust or hesitation.

“Tobio…” he whispered, his mouth dry. “Please.”

“This is all because of you,” Kageyama replied, in a voice that did not belong to him. “You came here, you tempted me, and then everything went up in flames.”

A burst of anger chipped away at the hard fear in Hinata’s heart, his momentary speechlessness yielding to the sudden indignation he felt. How dare Kageyama say that to him, after everything they had shared and been through?

“That’s not true. This place was already on fire long before my arrival.”

“Then you made it worse,” Kageyama spat.

“ _You_ brought me here,” Hinata snapped. “ _You_ asked me to stay. If it really is that easy to discard me then you were better off leaving me to the wolves.”

“Perhaps I should have.” Kageyama’s right hand pulled the drawstring tighter, making the arrow tremble even more under the strain. “Now, I’m telling you once more: get the hell out of my castle.”

Hinata was ready to stand his ground. He did not budge, only stubbornly held his stare, and he would have remained there until the end of time if it had not been for the hand that gently came to rest on his shoulder.

“Best do as he says, Hinata,” Sugawara advised calmly, as though this was no more than a small disagreement over the supper menu. “Come, please.”

He did not offer Kageyama a single glance, nor did he interfere or comment on the situation in any way. He only eased his arm around Hinata’s shoulders and encouraged him to turn around, carefully removing him from his defensive stance.

“If you make me mourn you I’ll never forgive you.”

Hinata looked over his shoulder, unable to help one last remark before he was taken away. The arrow was still pointed his way and his voice cracked slightly.

“Don’t make me expect to hear rumors of your demise. Don’t fall into the madness of past kings, you bastard.”

With those words he forced himself to break eye contact, and in that moment he did not know if he would ever be given the chance to look into those blue eyes again, or if they would once more turn back into the eyes he loved. For a split-second he almost expected the arrow to hit him as he turned away but it never did. Of course it would not. Hinata trusted that Kageyama would never do such a thing – and yet he had chosen to reject him so harshly. That is what broke his heart more than anything.

“Let me go back,” he begged as Sugawara hastily followed him to his room. “He shouldn’t be left alone.”

“I know,” Sugawara reassured him, “but now is not the time for more heated confrontation. I suggest you actually do as he says.”

“So… you’re really throwing me out of the castle?”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way.” He stopped and gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Take it as an opportunity to see your family after all this time and make sure they are well. Leave Kageyama to me.”

Hinata was ready to protest but caught his tongue when he saw Sugawara’s expression. Something in his hazel eyes told him that he, too, was willing to do anything for the King, and that right now he was the one person Kageyama needed the most. Hinata recognized the look and knew he had no authority to overstep, no matter how close he was to Kageyama. Reluctantly, he accepted his defeat and yielded.

“This won’t be the last you’ll see of me,” he promised fiercely, hand on his heart.

“Good.” Sugawara smiled. “I’m counting on it.”

**

Kageyama sat in the shadows of the gazebo and stared out at his garden, like he had done so many times before. His hands were empty now, no bow and no arrow. Instead they were trembling uncontrollably, a reflection of the anxiety he felt deep in his heart. He did not dare examine the feeling closer out of fear that he might find other things festering in there; uglier things than mere uncertainty and doubt. Instead he lifted his gaze to the patch of sunflowers. They had sprouted much taller, their crowns folded into small buds. One more week and they would begin to blossom. Kageyama felt like tearing them out of the earth, roots and all.

Now more than ever he wished he had never been born into the clutches of royalty. He was trapped in a web, one that had already been spun for him, and his name alone felt so incredibly heavy on his shoulders. If only he could have met Hinata at a different point or in a different life altogether. Perhaps then he would not feel the need to crumble beneath his own crown and everything it carried.

He looked up at the sound of creaking floorboards and saw Sugawara step into the shadows. He said nothing, only stood there for a little moment, hands clasped at his back, before he sat down next to him on the bench.

“I only meant to drive him away,” Kageyama admitted, his words drained and tired. “I did it for his own good. I can’t say why it turned out like that, or what came over me. But Hinata is so stubborn, and dangerously so. The fool.” He dragged his palms over his face, his own recount of the event making the devastation seem even more real. “Maybe I really am a half demon.”

Sugawara sighed quietly, a small plea that did not find purchase anywhere and faded into nothing.

“I am supposed to only give advice,” he began. “It is what the generations before me have done. An advisor rarely ever meddles in the king’s personal matters, unless asked of them. But I believe I have meddled more than all my predecessors combined.”

“Then,” Kageyama said, his voice strained in fear that it might break, “may I ask of you now to meddle, once more?”

“No, you can’t.” Sugawara shook his head with a little smile. “However, I’ll make an observation and you may take it as advice, if you wish.”

“So what is your observation?”

“That happiness is a good thing,” he replied simply. “And that Hinata made you happy. He made you the happiest I have seen you in a long, long time.”

Kageyama hung his head and looked down at his calloused palms, traced his own lifeline with his thumb.

“I have never felt this way about anyone before,” he murmured in agreement. “I think those emotions were too big for me.”

“Then it’s time to make room for those emotions. You cannot choose these things, no matter what the council may tell you. They just happen.”

Kageyama took a moment to look out at the silent pond and the sunlight sparkling on the surface. A frog leapt from a lily leaf and into the water, leaving a circle of small ripples that faded as quickly as they had appeared. His surroundings were in complete ignorance of how he felt, of what he had just done, and mercilessly the world continued to turn, like it always did.

“Do you believe more room can be made when so much space is already occupied?”

Sugawara paused at his question and glanced in the direction Kageyama was looking, towards the pond.

“Many terrible things happened to you while you were still young,” he said. “Your father’s tyranny, your mother’s escape, the sister you never got to know… You even felt the war on your body. You were abandoned and then burdened with so much responsibility. You have lost so much.”

“Please stop.” Kageyama inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his knuckles against the root of his nose. “Don’t punish me like this.”

He felt Sugawara’s hands fold gently around his own, persuading them to stop moving. He cradled his hands like they belonged to a child and he held them like that for a while, trapped within a warm prayer.

“Forgive me,” he whispered. “But a good thing finally happened to you when Hinata came here. Don’t go running back to your past when you have just managed to take a leap forward. This is the most important piece of advice I can ever give you.”

Kageyama considered the pale hands clutching his. Sugawara was the son of the former king’s advisor, a man who was often treated unfairly despite his position. Out of everyone, Sugawara should have held the most contempt and resentment towards Kageyama, the son of the king whose respect for others was so lacking – but he never did. Ever since they were young he had always looked after him, at times treating him more like a younger brother than a crown prince. Kageyama should have appreciated him so much more.

“I must make you so frustrated, Koushi,” he said quietly.

At the sound of his given name, the smile on Sugawara’s face faltered slightly. His grasp on Kageyama’s hands tightened and he managed a brave smile, despite his quivering lip.

“You do, sometimes,” he replied with genuine fondness. “But I will always be here beside you no matter what, in this lifetime and the next. In all of them.”

They sat together in silence for a while. Kageyama felt at least some of the warmth returning to him, halting the anxiousness in his heart and filling it with new determination.

“So what will you do now?” Sugawara asked at length.

“I will admit to my mistakes and correct them,” Kageyama replied firmly and stood. “Please summon the council once more.”

**

When the council saw him for the second time that day they all saw a different king. Not only did he appear different, donning some of his finest garments, including the high-collared silk tunic he had used at his coronation; he also carried himself differently.

Just minutes earlier Kageyama had lingered briefly at Hinata’s door. His empty room served as a reminder that he really had left, that he had taken him on his word at last. For a while Kageyama held that feeling of remorse in his heart, no matter how painful it was, and tried to ingrain it into his body so that he could learn and grow from it. He knew then that he was the only one who could reverse his own actions, and for it to happen he had to do his best to make peace with it. He had to settle things properly.

As he stood before his council, it was with newfound, unmistakable resolve.

They were caught in a moment of unsure glances while Kageyama waited for them all to take their seats first. When they did not understand his intention he gestured for them to do so and was immediately met by protesting murmurs, as it was considered unheard of to sit down before the king did.

“I insist,” he assured them. “I won’t take offense.”

After they reluctantly sat he proceeded to bow deeply, an action that almost made the members spring to their feet again, their shock nearly turning into outrage. No other king had ever acted like this in front of his council but Kageyama was determined to change things. He would start by breaking every little tradition because he knew that was the only way they would understand that he was serious.

“I apologize for my behavior during our last meeting,” he said sincerely. “It was not worthy of a king and I regret it.”

They shook their heads in unison, reassuring him in all their confusion that his apology was not needed.

“I have carefully considered what you advised me,” he continued, ignoring them. “I came to realize that above all, my character was weak. It was weak because I accepted your word as law when it’s not. And for that I am ashamed.”

He paused and finally sat down to fully take in the way their expectant faces slowly turned into doubtful frowns, a gradual realization of the completely unexpected. He coughed briefly into his fist, struggling to suppress a smile.

“I’m not going to change my mind on the basis of tradition, not when said traditions are old-fashioned, and especially not when they can easily be changed or ended. This council, too, can easily be changed or ended,” he added casually, “unless its members decide to serve me instead of my father’s ghost.”

“My Lord –” The Secretary finally regained enough of his voice to speak up. “We did not intend for our word to affect you this way –”

“No, I’m aware of your intentions,” Kageyama interrupted him. “And I’m here now to let you know that I reject them completely.”

The Secretary exchanged a glance with the Chancellor, who dared to ask what they were all thinking.

“Is this a threat, my Lord?”

“Of course it’s not a threat,” Kageyama clarified with a slight tilt of his head. “But I believe there is a tendency to forget, for both you and myself, that I always have the last say, even above the esteemed council. So from now on, if there is too much interference in matters that don’t concern you, I won’t hesitate to take appropriate action. Take it as advice from me to you, for a change.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, only accompanied by the soft rustling of garments, as though they were preparing to leave but at the same time were hesitant to move.

“I –” the Chancellor began at last, squirming nervously. “Or rather, _we_ assure you, my Lord, that you are well within your rights here. If we have failed to be mindful of your place as our ruler then we deeply apologize. We merely expressed concerns about your future and your acceptance with the public.”

“My father saw himself as supreme ruler and nothing else,” Kageyama responded, unwavering. “I have never wanted that. I have always aimed to be a king of the people and my wish is to continue to serve as one. And with all due respect, I believe Hinata represents the people better than all of you combined.”

He rested his chin atop his folded hands and looked pointedly at each and every one of the speechless faces surrounding him.

“As you know I take my reign and my duties very seriously. I will continue to give it my all but what I’m willing to offer will be only mine to give. I’m allowed to be my own person and follow my heart, even as king, and nothing more can be asked of me.”

The members considered his words, still in disbelief of his confidence. If they had doubted his so-called rebellion before then there was no reason now to continue to do so.

“You are right,” the Chancellor admitted after a while, his expression torn between frustration and defeat. “As much as I disagree with your choice, you are right. You should be a king of the people, first and foremost. Not your council.”

“Your changes will take some time, both to implement and to accept,” the Grandmaster reminded him hesitantly. “But… if the council is united then the people will understand, I am sure.”

“Good.” Kageyama offered them a brief but genuine smile. “I’m glad all was settled so effectively.”

He thanked the members for their time, bid them goodbye, and exited the room with Sugawara following suit. Once they were in the hallway the two of them exchanged an amused glance and spontaneously broke out in a moment of quiet laughter. When he looked up again Kageyama was moved to see a twinkle of sheer pride in his advisor’s eyes.

“That was fun,” he admitted. “I trust you to be my eyes and ears and keep them in check.”

“You have my word,” Sugawara promised.

Kageyama paused at an open window overlooking the courtyard. He unclasped his collar and breathed deeply, enjoying the warm summer weather and the budding lightness in his heart.

“So what will you do from here?”

“I’m not sure,” Kageyama replied, thinking of the long journey he was about to embark on, in many other ways than just one. “I still have days of meetings with the council ahead of me… but perhaps in a week or so I’ll ride out.”

“And… today?” Sugawara prompted.

Kageyama caught sight of Kindaichi and Kunimi as they crossed the courtyard, both of them carrying their longbows, and he smiled a little as he rolled up the silver sleeves of his tunic.

“Today I’ll reach out to old friends.”

**

Hinata straightened up from his work in the vegetable garden, threw the small bundle of weeds aside, and sat back on his heels, rolling his aching shoulders. For more than a month he had been away from his farm and now that he was back he felt out of shape, slightly out of his element. It was frustrating, even a little shameful. The farm was _his_ place, the place where he belonged. He had been born into this work and he was the head of the family now. There was no reason for him to get used to anything else. He had not exactly lived a carefree life of luxury at the castle either. He should not miss it – and yet…

Annoyed, Hinata shook himself out of his pointless daydreams and dug his trowel back into the dirt. There was no use in lingering and wallowing in memories that did not even seem real anymore. It had almost been a fortnight already. It was time to stop waiting for the royal messenger to show up. It was time to stop gazing out at the horizon in hopes of spotting an unknown rider.

“Shouyou!”

Startled, he looked up at his mother’s sudden call.

“Shouyou, someone’s at the gate! Natsu, be careful!”

Natsu had long since dropped her rake to the ground, her movements disturbing a flock of offended chickens, and he watched her gather her skirt and run across their small yard, past the crops, and up the uneven path to their rickety wooden gate.

Hinata pulled the back of his hand over his sweaty forehead and squinted into the distance. The first thing he saw was the majestic head of a white horse. It looked comically large as it trotted into the yard and in the back of his mind he absently thought it was high time to build a new, sturdier gate to replace the old one.

Then, in almost stubborn disbelief, he slowly came to realize that the horse was Kaiser – and that the rider was none other than Kageyama himself.

Still thinking his eyes were deceiving him, Hinata watched on as Kageyama gracefully alighted from his horse. He spoke something to Natsu, who seemed to have spotted the royal emblem on his saddle and finally realized who he was. Her eyes went wide with terrified awe and for a moment it seemed she did not know what to do first; offer the King a polite curtsy or frantically gesture towards the small hill where Hinata sat. Kageyama glanced briefly in his direction, nodded in thanks, and left Kaiser’s reins in her hands.

He started up the narrow dirt path and Hinata crouched lower, gripped by sudden anxiety. He considered rolling out of the vegetable garden and ducking into the woods behind him, but he was rooted to his spot just as deeply as the bamboo shoots next to him. Running away was impossible either way. He could not bring himself to take his eyes off Kageyama and how his leather vest hugged his broad chest, how his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and how his cloak was flung casually over his arm. He had no army, no guards, and no weapon with him. It was just him, a lone traveller stopping by, except he was royalty.

At last, Kageyama reached the top of the hill and stopped at the edge of the plot. His boots were already muddy from the short walk and for a moment the two of them simply just stared at each other.

“It’s been a while,” he said at last. “Is this an inconvenient time?”

“Uh… no.” Hinata stood shakily, still taken aback. “I just didn’t expect to see you again… so soon.” He frowned, as though he was just now realizing that Kageyama was standing there in front of him. “You really came all the way out here…”

“Yes, I did.”

“With… without any guards? Not even Sugawara?”

Kageyama raised an eyebrow. “Did you expect me to fly the Karasuno banner just to visit you?”

“Well…” Hinata crossed his arms with a pout. “I think I deserve that, honestly.”

Kageyama responded with a breathy little laugh, his eyes curving into soft half-moons, and Hinata’s heartbeat immediately jumped, his heart ready to soar right out of his chest. He had missed him. He had really missed him so terribly much.

“I didn’t want to alarm you or your family. And I wanted to see you alone,” Kageyama admitted sheepishly. He nodded at a spot in the shade of a large oak. “Do you have a moment to spare?”

It took Hinata everything he had not to blurt out how much he would gladly sacrifice all his time for him whenever he should ask. In the end he only nodded, threw his gardening tools aside, and led the way.

“Your land is bigger than I thought,” Kageyama commented. “It’s very nice here.”

“It used to be smaller than this,” Hinata explained and pointed out the borders of his property. “We were only allowed to expand after you took the throne.”

The conversation paused and they surrendered to silence for a while, just watching the horses grazing in the distance and the crows circling the empty fields.

“The sunflowers at the castle are thriving now,” Kageyama eventually said. “I expect them to fully open soon and grow taller.” He tore hesitantly at the grass, weighing his words. “The only thing missing is you.”

Hinata remained very still. The inside of his body was vibrating and he hardly even dared to breathe. He had been thinking many thoughts during the last couple of weeks. He had sought out many memories, had woken up in the early dawn from many dreams. All this time he refused to admit to himself that he was losing faith in his promise to Sugawara, about returning to the castle once again. It was not until now, in Kageyama’s presence, that he realized how scared he had been.

“Why?” he asked weakly. “Do you miss your gardener?”

“I miss my partner.”

It was Hinata’s turn to tear restlessly at the grass. He felt Kageyama watching him intently but he kept his eyes downcast, his cheeks pale with nervous anticipation.

“I’m still a commoner,” he stated. “That hasn’t changed. Whether my presence is accepted or not, your bloodline will end with me.”

“Then let it end.”

With those words Kageyama tilted his head back and squinted at the sky through the dense branches, the traces of a lingering smile at the corner of his mouth. Once again Hinata saw the king he had met that day in the sunflower patch, the happy and carefree young man.

“I said and did some things I deeply regret,” he continued. “And recently I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to make those things right. I can only apologize for my behavior and hope you’re willing to forgive me.” He looked at him, his expression nervous yet hopeful, and cautiously he reached out to grab his hand. “But... I love you, Shouyou. And you once said that all I needed to do was ask, so I’m asking you now. Please stay with me as my partner. Stay with me as my king.”

Hinata looked down at their hands. His knuckles were sore from digging and his muddy fingers left smudges of dirt across the back of Kageyama’s pale hand. They were so different, two hands from two separate worlds – but they were both warm. It looked like their hands belonged like this, in this unusual yet perfect fit. It felt right.

He did not bother with words. Words could not convey his emotions. Instead he wrapped his arms around Kageyama’s neck and kissed him hard. He kissed him until he could not breathe anymore, and when they broke apart he felt happier, even stronger, than he ever had before.

“I will forgive you if you’re willing to face _your_ penalty,” Hinata whispered.

“And what may that be?”

“Stay for supper. I’m sure my mother and my sister are eager to meet you.”

Kageyama grinned widely and kissed him again, his embrace warm and firm. “It would be my honor.”

Together they made their way down the path, hands linked. The afternoon sun pulled at the shadows and painted the sky in blue and gold, urging the sunflowers to open up and face the light.


End file.
